The Carleton Ravens men’s soccer team fell to the Ryerson Rams 3-0 in a vital quarter-final playoff match in Toronto at Downsview Park on Nov. 1.
After defeating the Nipissing Lakers in a 1-0 nail-biter earlier in the week, the Ravens looked to pull off the upset against the Rams.
The Rams finished the regular season with a record of 11-2-3 and a total of 41 goals scored. This was good for first place in the East Division of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS). Both regular season matches between the teams ended in a 0-0 draw.
Ryerson got off on the right foot early in the match. In the seventh minute, Rams midfielder Nick Lambis received a pass from Martin Dabrowski and fired a shot past Ravens goalkeeper Felix Daigle to put the Rams ahead 1-0.
“We gifted them three early Christmas presents. The result certainly flatters them,” said Carleton head coach Sandy Mackie in a press release.
Dabrowski nearly doubled the Rams’ lead in the 13th minute, as Jackson Tooke lobbed the ball his way for a header, but he directed it just wide of the net. In the 29th minute the Ravens had a chance to draw even when defender Mekonen Lovemore-White spotted Andrew Bryan deep and sent him on a breakaway.
Rams goalkeeper Praveen Ahilan made the huge stop to keep Ryerson ahead. The first half was a physical one for the Ravens, who took three yellow cards in a span of just over 20 minutes. The half would finish with Ryerson leading 1-0.
The Rams continued to press in the second half. At the 50th minute Lambis scored his second of the night. The final nail in the coffin came in the 77th minute when Ryerson forward Jamie Baker made his way through the Carleton defence and scored to put the Rams ahead 3-0.
The match’s physicality continued to escalate, with Carleton drawing one more yellow card and Ryerson drawing three themselves. Then, in the 90th minute, the Ravens took two more red cards. Ryerson’s goals proved to be enough as they would hold on for the victory, and will be heading to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Final Four.
The Ravens, only lost three matches all season, including this one.
They also went one round further than last season. Over the season they amassed a record of 8-2-6 to finish fourth place in the OUA East Division.
