Both Memorial University’s men’s and women’s soccer teams are off to the Atlantic University Sport playoffs next weekend.
The Lady Birds, who swept the University of Moncton over the weekend at King George V Park, were already guaranteed a post-season berth, owning a 5-1-4 record heading into weekend play.
As it stands, the Sea-Hawks finished 7-1-4 for 25 points, second to unbeaten Cape Breton University Capers (11-0-1) in the conference standings.
Things weren’t so clear for the men’s squad, losers of five of their last seven games before the Moncton series.
However, the Sea-Hawks split with Moncton, and slipped in the post season at 5-6-1 for 16 points, one more than Moncton.
Only four points separated the fifth-, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-place teams in the AUS.
The women’s conference championship opens Thursday in Antigonish, N.S., MUN and Cape Breton both have first-round byes. The Sea-Hawks’ first game is 7:30 p.m. Friday (NL time) against one of the quarter-final winners.
Sydney, N.S. is site of the men’s soccer championship, where the Sea-Hawks have their first game – a quarter-final matchup — against the third-place University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds (7-3-2) 4:30 p.m. Thursday (NL time).
MUN and UNB split a regular-season series at King George V. The Varsity Reds won 5-0 in the first game, but the Sea-Hawks rebounded with a 1-0 victory.
Finals in both the men’s and women’s championships are next Sunday.
The Lady Birds shut out Moncton twice over the weekend at King George, by 3-0 and 2-0 scores. Of Memorial’s seven wins, six have come via shutout. Four other games ended in scoreless ties.
So rookie Sea-Hawks’ keeper Sydney Walsh, in other words, has posted a shutout in 10 of the 12 games she’s appeared in this season.
Walsh is a lock for AUS rookie of the year, and will likely get some consideration as U Sports’ top rookie.
In Friday night’s 3-0 win, Jessie Noseworthy scored twice, and Nicole Torraville had one goal. Saturday, Noseworthy and Holly O’Neill had the goals as Memorial won 2-0.
Noseworthy finished the season with 10 goals, for third overall in the conference.
The Sea-Hawks’ men’s squad won 2-1 Friday night at King George, with Tyler Forsey scoring twice.
Moncton rebounded with a 1-0 win Saturday.
It was a banner season for the fifth-year Forsey, who finished with nine goals, good enough for second in conference scoring.
CROSS-COUNTRY
Acadia University played host to the Atlantic University Sport cross-country championship over the weekend, where the Sea-Hawks’ men’s team placed sixth overall.
Individual results were: Nick Snow (19th, 35:14.19), Chris Galley (23rd, 35:27.54), Seamus Boyd-Porter (27th, 35:54.58), Tyler Cole (30th, 36:14.43), Jacopo Fragasso (36th, 37:02.61) and Nathan Wilson (43rd, 40:40.60).
Megan Ryan (28th, 36:04.00) was the only female Sea-Hawk runner taking part.
