MNP Park played host to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Final Four playoff round this past weekend. With a home crowd full of family, friends, and alumni, the Ravens fell short of bringing the title back home.
In order to have a chance at glory, the Carleton Ravens men’s soccer team first had to win their semi-final on Nov. 2 against an unfamiliar Western University Mustangs.
Forwards Gabriel Bitar and Ricky Comba were some of the first players to attack their opponents’ defensive line, routinely forcing corners in the first 15 minutes as they looked for the opening goal.
The Mustangs held their own, keeping a clean scoresheet and had their own chance to lead, if not for Ravens defender Christopher Malekos making a crucial tackle to keep it scoreless.
Despite a lot of midfield tension and exceptional defending from both sides, it was Carleton midfielder Dario Conte who, with a superb volley, took the lead for the Ravens nine minutes before the half.
After finding the breakthrough, the Ravens did not stop there. A beautiful link-up by forward Stefan Karajovanovic, Emad Houache, and Bitar resulted in the home side’s second goal only five minutes after the first.
At halftime, the scoreline remained 2-0, but, in the second half, the Mustangs came out by maintaining more possession and continuously pressing against the Ravens defence.
Even with the change in dynamic, the Ravens still controlled the game and were looking for more goals.
Bitar was the player to add one more to the Ravens scoreline. His first opportunity to do so was via a penalty but the shot was blocked and Western looked to make a dangerous comeback.
In the 80th minute, however, Bitar was able to capitalize on a through-ball from team captain Tristan St. Pierre and chip the ball over keeper Kody Thomson making the final score 3-0. The goal booked the Ravens a ticket to the OUA Gold Medal game.
After the result of the other semi-final, the final game on Saturday afternoon was to be a repeat from last year: the Ravens versus the York University Lions.
With another packed crowd at MNP Park, the Ravens had the opportunity to win it all at home, but, for the second year in a row, they fell to the Lions.
Right from kick-off, the match was full of hunger and drive from all 22 players on the pitch, but it was the visitors who were able to take the lead first.
A goal from Maurizio Ragone in the second minute had the Lions in control of the final early on, and with the persistent way they were playing, they continued to find ways to exploit the Ravens.
In the 22nd minute, Carleton gave up a corner and a the Lions scored from a powerful header by midfielder Jorgo Nika. The goal doubled York’s lead and produced the biggest deficit the Ravens had faced all season.
The usually dominant Carleton midfield was limited in their ability to dictate play and as a result, the players opted to go wide and play off the wings but were closed down by a strong, clustering pack of Lions.
By the time the first half ended, the Ravens had to find a way to come back from 0-2 down if they wanted to hoist the Blackwood Cup.
The second half saw the Ravens come out with a new mentality as they outshot the Lions 14-4 in hopes of bringing the scoreline even. One shot from St. Pierre, in his last game at MNP Park managed to cut the deficit in half.
With the game at 1-2 and some attacking substitutions from head coach Kwesi Loney, it seemed as if the Ravens could complete the comeback until Nika bagged his second of the game, cementing the Lions’ repeat win.
Despite the loss, the Ravens will travel to the University of British Columbia (UBC) from Nov. 8-11 to participate in the U Sports Men’s Soccer Championships.
Coach Loney expressed that the team is ready to avenge their sixth-place finish from last year’s nationals.
“The whole season for us has been a preparation for these games,” he said.
“We talked about just believing in each other [and] relying on the work we did in the training sessions.”
The Ravens play their first game on Nov. 8 against host team the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds and the team is ready to challenge opponents from across the country for the title.
“Being able to play the unknown is also good for us because we can’t get complacent,” Loney said. “We have to bring our game and be ready to play.”
Photo by Tim Austen
