Women’s Soccer
Two wins on the weekend keep the UKC women’s soccer team undefeated on the season and launch them to the second in league table.
Starting Saturday at Harbour East field in Dartmouth, the King’s side hosted the Tommies of St. Thomas University. Injuries to defensive veterans Ally Brien and Dimitra Tsimiklis meant the Blue Devils started an untested backline, with rookie Kennedy MacKill playing alongside captain center back Lucy Carolan and winger Faye Little shifting to a right wingback position opposite Adrianne Proudfoot on the left. Elsewhere, senior Lily Wright returned to the heart of the King’s midfield alongside rookie Victoria Iatrou. The King’s attack maintained its hot start to the season with striker Sophie Shepherd scoring the match’s lone goal and her 5th of the year.
Sunday’s match against the University of New Brunswick-Saint John would see the Blue Devils playing at the home field of Wickwire turf for the first time this season—in torrential rain and wind. Having regained fitness for the match, Ally Brien returned back line with MacKill shifting to right back and Little returning to the midfield. King’s opened the scoring early, with winger Anna Dugandzic slotting a goal in the 22nd minute from a Shepherd assist. A Seawolves equalizer in the 38th minute from Joce Splitgerber brought the score to 1-1 at the half. Into the second half, it took the Blue Devils less than two minutes to take the lead as Little finished from close range following a in swinging cross from Proudfoot. The King’s women would hold a resolute defensive shape for the remainder of the half to preserve the 2-1 win.
Sporting a record of 4-0-2, the UKC Women are ranked 12th nationally, and sit second in the table with 11 points in five games with a game in hand, and only trailing UNBSJ with 12 points in six games. A congested top four sees both Holland College and Mount Saint Vincent University just behind with 10 points from five games. King’s next host Dal AC at Mainland Commons on October 2, 1 p.m. and Holland College at Wickwire Field on October 3, 1 p.m.
Results
vs. STU 1-0 Win
vs. UNBSJ 2-1 Win
Men’s Soccer
It was a weekend to forget for the UKC Men, who suffered back-to-back home losses to New Brunswick visitors and dropped a crucial 6 points as their season approaches the midway point.
Playing in the early fixture are Harbour East in Dartmouth, King’s conceded in the 4th minute, with St. Thomas’ Ben Davidge capitalizing on miscommunication from the Blue Devils backline. Though starved for possession, King’s would hold their own through the first half, entering the break trailing 1-0. The start of the second half would prove to be nothing short of catastrophic, with the Blue Devils conceding in the 46th, 49th, 53rd, and 54th minutes. The game would end 5-0, with King’s recording two shots to the Tommies 20.
Looking to rebound in their second match of the weekend, King’s adjusted their lineup, shifting Nolan Bradley from the right to the striker position in place of Kian Bowie who was unfit following the previous days match. Elsewhere Tim Brodin replaced Nick Metha at right back and rookie Gareth MacKinnon took up Bradley’s vacated wing position. Facing off against the Seawolves, King’s took an early lead in the 7th minute courtesy of Bradley’s free kick, chipping the ball past the UNBSJ keeper after a handball just outside the box. UKC took that lead into halftime before UNBSJ equalized in the 68th minute via a Thomas Barbara goal. Needing to score, King’s brought on rookie Achim Duerr-Farrell in the 70th minute, who nearly scored in the 77th, putting the ball just wide of the UNBSJ goal. A late foul in the box from Duerr-Farrell though would award the Seawolves a penalty in the 84th minute. Striker Griffin Cassidy slotted the ball past UKC keeper Parker Ingham for the match’s final and decisive goal.
Having dropped 6 points on the weekend, King’s now sit 5th in the league table with 6 points; 2 points adrift from the top four. Head coach Jamie McGinnis will need his squad to regroup in the midweek before hosting Dal AC and Holland College in the coming weekend with another crucial 6 points on the line. The Blue Devils will next play at Mainland Commons on Saturday October 2 at 3 p.m. against Dal AC and then at Wickwire Field on Sunday October 3 at 3:15 p.m.
Results
vs. STU 0-5 Loss
vs. UNBSJ 1-2 Loss
