The Carleton Ravens men’s soccer team claimed their first Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Championship medal since 2005, after pushing through the playoffs to an eventual 0-3 win over the York University Lions in the final on Nov. 2.
Having been given the bye earlier in the season, the team didn’t start their playoff run until the quarter-finals on Oct. 27, beating the Ontario Tech University Ridgebacks by a convincing margin of 5-2.
The Ravens were able to establish MNP Park as their territory very quickly in the match, scoring four of their goals by the halfway mark.
Forward and OUA East first team all-star Stefan Karajovanovic was the light behind the Ravens offense, scoring a hat trick by the 37th-minute. Teammate and fellow first team all-star Gabriel Bitar was the next player to add to the tally only five minutes later.
In the second half, the Ridgebacks were able to score two of their own, limiting Carleton to another clean sheet, but the fifth goal from Junior Asare, ensured there was no chance of a comeback for the opponents.
The win meant the team was moving on to the semi-finals and had a chance to claim a spot at the 2019 U Sports men’s soccer championships in Montreal. Standing in their way: the Guelph University Gryphons.
On Nov. 1, the Ravens headed down to Alumni Field in York with their eyes on making it to the OUA final and claiming the gold medal. While Guelph proved to be difficult opponents, the team was prepared for it.
“Going into the game we knew we had to put our heart and soul into it as a collective,” said Karajovanovic.
The game was physically and mentally testing for the team as Carleton pounded Gryphons keeper Erik Hermanns 16 times throughout 90 minutes. Their opponents, in retrospect, found it difficult to make it past a tight knit defensive side and recorded a total of only four shots themselves.
By the end of regulation time, the scoreline sat 0-0 and the game headed into extra time.
It took until the 105th-minute of the match for the deadlock to finally break, as substitute Danny Assaf, a rookie on the team, managed to put the ball in the back of the net, sending his team to the final and to Montreal.
Assaf said he was “excited” when head coach Kwesi Loney told him he was about to be subbed into the match and when he scored, it was a “speechless moment.”
“Everyone [was] running, chasing me, yelling my name. I ran to the bench of course [and] just seeing everyone happy, especially for me scoring this goal, was just an incredible feeling.”
Though a close scoreline, notably one of the tightest for the Ravens so far, it shouldn’t be a misleading one, Assaf explains.
“Even though it was just 1-0, we felt like we dominated that game,” said Assaf.
Then, for the third season in a row, Loney’s side found themselves in the final of the OUA championships against the hosts York University. In the past, the Ravens had always fallen short, however, the third time seemed to be the charm as the Ravens took control of the first-ranked Lions.
The focus for the team was to make sure they came out as strong aggressors, which they have been trying to emulate all season.
“We feel like the team has just improved so much so this year,” said Assaf. “We kind of felt like you know, it’s our time, we’re the aggressors, we’re here to win, we’re not here for anything else.”
When it came time to step foot on the pitch, the Ravens got off to the aggressive start they planned and were controlling the midfield, thanks to OUA East MVP Dario Conte.
Bitar and Karajovanovic were working together up top hovering around the Lions’ net and second-team all star Ricky Comba was helping to get them into scoring opportunities.
The first goal of the game, however, came from a penalty kick, as York goalkeeper Mike Argyrides fouled Bitar in the box, bringing him down to the ground.
Karajovanovic, who isn’t new to penalties, was the player holding the responsibility to give the Ravens the lead and said he was confident in himself in the moment.
“I already had in my head where I was going to shoot and that it was going to go in, so no pressure whatsoever, [just] being calm, composed and burying the ball in the back of the net.”
The Ravens were able to extend their lead to 0-2 in the 32nd-minute thanks to a header from Quinn Honeyman-Wootton.
In the second half, the team anticipated a stronger performance from the Lions and Karajovanovic explained they were prepared to step up themselves.
“Coming back from the halftime, we knew they were going to come and give their 110 per cent, because they’re not going to let someone come to their house [and] run them down.”
The goal for the team was to survive the first 15 minutes without cutting the lead in half, and every player on the pitch worked to pull their weight.
The third and final goal, which gave Karajovanovic a brace, was a 69th-minute “dagger” to the Lions, and the Ravens knew they were within reach of gold.
Finally beating their playoff rivals “means a lot” for the team, according to Karajovanovic. “They took it from us two years in a row,” he said. “So we weren’t going to let that happen for a third time.”
The Ravens now make the journey to Montreal as the number one seed for the championships on the hunt for the national title after winning bronze last year.
However, even with the pressure, preparation for the tournament remains simple. “We’re just keeping the same traditions,” said Karajovanovic. “Getting our heads ready for the big moments.”
The first game takes place against St. Francis Xavier University on Nov. 7 at 10 a.m.
Feature image from file.
