(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) The number-one-seeded Cape Breton Capers will be playing in an AUS women’s soccer championship game for the seventh time in the last 10 seasons after a 1-0 win over the number-four-seeded STFX X-Women.
This season’s AUS Most Valuable Player, Alliyah Rowe (Kitchener, Ont.), scored the lone goal in the 24th minute to give the Capers an opportunity to win a 12th AUS championship under head coach Ness Timmons.
Fittingly, Rowe scored the Capers’ only goal after a regular season of 12 goals in 12 games.
Senate Letsie (Maseru, Lesotho) sent a high cross to Rowe who scored on a header to give the Capers an early lead that would stick for the remainder of the match.
“Honestly, when the ball came in, I knew the first thing the goalie would do is shift across, so I knew the best thing to do was get in that corner where she was originally coming from,” recounted Rowe about the Capers’ goal.
“It was a great game. I knew our team could stick out as long as we kept moving the ball and making our way up the field. I knew we could eventually finish and hold our ground once we got that first goal in,” added Rowe.
The Capers had 15 shots, landing six on keeper Christina Gentile (Laval, Que.). Caper keeper Haley Kardas (Halifax, N.S.) was tested on two shots on goal and nine shots.
STFX’s Talia Morin was named the X-Women’s Player of the Game, while Fatou Ndiaye grabbed the honours as the Subway Player of the Game for her flawless work as a defender for 90 minutes.
The Capers will now wait for the result of the second semi-final game between Dalhousie and Memorial Sea-Hawks.
The 2022 Subway AUS Women's Soccer Championship final takes place Saturday, November 5 at 2pm. Catch it live on AUStv.ca.
-Recap courtesy of Acadia Athletics