There was no crowning moment, but the Carleton Ravens women’s soccer team earned a 0-0 draw with the top-ranked York University Lions on Friday afternoon, a success in the eyes of the Carleton coaching staff.
It might not have looked like one—the quiet offensive performance led to Carleton being officially eliminated from playoff contention—but York had a 5-1 record entering Friday and was ranked ninth in the nation. The Lions are also likely to coast into the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) playoffs as a wildcard team.
For Carleton head coach Dom Oliveri, a draw against York is a win.
“We’re a young team and we’re trying to learn how to play in the league,” Oliveri said. “It’s a bright future for the program.”
This season has not always been bright. Carleton has only won one game—on Oct. 3 against the RMC Paladins—while taking four losses and three draws. They currently have six points, tied for fifth-lowest out of 19 OUA teams.
Friday was one of the team’s better performances of the season, according to Oliveri. He said the Ravens’ 1-1 draw on Oct. 11 against the uOttawa Gee-Gees, who are ranked third in the nation, was also a bright spot.
“We’re showing what we’re capable of when we play our game,” Oliveri said.
Carleton did have opportunities to score, as did York. Late in the first half, Ravens forward Lauren Illman received a pass in the box and attempted to head the ball for a goal. It was blocked by York goalkeeper Patricia Vrysellas.
In the 59th minute, Lions midfielder Kalifornia Mitchell danced around a Carleton defender and nearly snuck in a goal at the bottom right corner, but first-year goalkeeper Chloe LaChance-Soulard made a diving stop.
Carleton relied on a predominantly young roster, with only two of the starting 11—fourth-year scoring machine Chloe Doherty and third-year defender Elodie Sylvain—not in their first or second year of eligibility. Oliveri said the team’s young players are learning to play every day and part of that has been getting them more minutes towards the end of the season.
It also meant trying to instill the players with a culture of showing up and performing every day to be successful.
“Sometimes we do that and sometimes we haven’t,” Oliveri said.
Oliveri said the young players will continue to get playing time if they keep playing well in practice, although injuries to defender Alyssa Borello and forward Salena Devellis during Friday’s game could determine how the starting 11 shakes out.
Devellis’ injury was especially significant. In the 62nd minute, Devellis went down with an injury to her right knee and had to be carried to the sidelines, where she lay for 20 minutes before limping to the Ravens bench with crutches. The extent of the injury is not known.
Carleton’s season will come to an end this weekend, with a home-and-home battle against the Trent University Excalibur.
Featured image by Spencer Colby.
