CCAA Men's Soccer Recap
by Curtis J. Phillips with files from the NAIT Ooks
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) last medaled at Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Men's Soccer Championships with the Keyano Huskies claiming 2016 silver at home in Fort McMurray.
CCAA gold medal status has been rarer with the Ooks in 1987 and 2011 and Mount Royal Cougars grabbing the top spot in 2004, 1997 and 1994.
Well...the ACAC will have to wait another year as the NAIT Ooks came up short at the 2018 CCAA Men's Soccer Championships held at Terry Fox Sports Complex in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island and hosted by the Holland Hurricanes.
In the 5th/6th placement game Saturday they fell to the Langara Falcons (Pacific Western Athletic Association) from Vancouver, British Columbia by a 3-2 score.
The placement and performance by the Ooks is quite impressive when you consider their 2018 roster had 13 rookies....that's right....13 rookies on a 21 player roster. Four of which were named 2018 ACAC All Conference.
"It was a great year," said Ooks head coach Charles O'Toole in a game report. "From going undefeated in our conference, to being seconds away from going to the national championship gold medal game, with 13 first-year student-athletes, I can't complain. This is one of the best team's we've ever had. Unfortunately, we didn't get the result we wanted, but this just makes us hungrier for next season.
Here is a brief outlook at the Ooks performances.
NAIT Ooks 7 St. Thomas Tommies 0 (Quarter Final)
Wednesday November7, 2018
Ooks, ranked No. 4 in CCAA polls, opened the three-day eight team tournament Wednesday by hammering the St. Thomas Tommies 7-0.
The Fredericton, New Brunswick side, representing the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association, saw Ooks' Abraham Dukuly (1st year, Open Studies, Edmonton, Alberta) score early at eight minutes.
Matt Zima (2nd year, Apprentice, Edmonton, Alberta) made it 2-0 for the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference champion (ACAC) two minutes later, to be followed with a 29 minute marker by Cristian Lima (1st year, English as a Second Language, Carapicuiba, Sao Paula).. Dukuly's second goal rounded out the half to make it a comfortable 4-0.
A few weeks prior to the CCAA finals, Dukuly had been honoured as the ACAC Men's Soccer Rookie of the Year.
David Doe (1st year, Open Studies, Edmonton, Alberta), Joseph Galvez -Caceres (3rd year, Bachelor of Business Administration, Edmonton, Alberta) and Lima with his second, would round out the scoring in the second half against the No. 15 CCAA ranked Tommies.
"We had a good start, the boys have adjusted well to the time change, they stuck to the game plan and executed on their chances when they became available," said O'Toole.
Doe was selected Ooks' Player of the Game.
NAIT Ooks 3 Humber Hawks 4 Penalty Kicks (Semi Final)
Thursday November 8, 2018
In the semi-final match Thursday the Ooks opponent would be powerhouse Humber Hawks (Ontario Colleges Athletic Association) from Etobicoke, Ontario.
Since 2010 the Hawks have kicked their way to CCAA gold medal status in 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
Asked of the semi-final matchup O'Toole said: "They are very strong. They are well organized, have a deep bench and a lot of talented players, including some from TFC Academy. We know as the tournament progresses it's only going to get harder, but I think we are prepared."
Following is the Game Report from the CCAA; The Humber Hawks scored first when Frederico Leal found the back of the net with a strong strike from outside the box. Nicholas Machado added to the Hawks lead when Nicholas Machado headed in Cody Green's cross in the 20th minute, putting Humber up 2-0.
Chaos would commence in the 23rd minute when Michael Fayehun of the Hawks was called for a handball on his goal-line resulting in a red card and a penalty kick for the Ooks. Kick taker Matt McLean (3rd year, Business Administration, Edmonton Alberta) would make no mistake labeling the shot to the bottom left corner of the net, cutting Humber's lead to one.
In the 48th minute, the momentum would shift when Ooks' keeper Chris Ezoua (1st year, Academic Upgrading, Edmonton Alberta) made a miraculous diving save on a cross from the Hawks. From there it would be NAIT on the attack and Humber trying to protect their one-goal lead while playing a man short. In the 83rd minute, the Ooks were finally able to crack the Hawks conservative defense, when Cristian Lima bent a free kick into the top corner of the net tying the game at two.
In the 89th minute, chaos would strike again when Humber would be called for another handball inside the box, resulting in another penalty kick. Matt McLean would capitalize for the second time putting the Ooks up 3-2. The Hawks then scored in the 90th minute to tie the game again, sending the game to penalty kicks. In PK's, it was the Humber Hawks who would prevail scoring on all five of their shots claiming what was surely the most exciting match of the tournament.
"I'm proud of the boys for battling back. It was unfortunate we had a brief mental lapse on defense which they capitalized on to tie it, but that's soccer. Credit to Humber, they played well," said O'Toole.
NAIT Ooks 0 Capilano Blues 4 (Bronze Medal Semi-Finals)
Friday November 8, 2018
In the first half, the NAIT Ooks controlled the play for the first 40 minutes missing narrowly on several scoring chances. The Capilano Blues found life though in the 43rd minute, when a ball up the middle found its way through the NAIT defense to Patrick Izett who beat Chris Ezoua, putting the Blues up 1-0 at halftime.
Capilano's Jeremy Monn-Djasgnar scored in the 58th minute to put his team up 2-0. The Blues would add two more goals before the end of the game defeating the Ooks 4-0, advancing to the bronze medal game.
NAIT Ooks 2 Langara Falcons 3 (5th/6th placement game)
Saturday November10, 2018
Matthew Zima and Christian Lima led the Ooks during the regular ACAC season with 22 combined goals, so it is apropos that they scored the team last two goals in the final game of the 2018 campaign.
The game report reads: On a day where the wind was a major factor, the Ooks came out flying. With the wind at their back, Cristian Lima opened up the scoring in the 6th minute followed up shortly after by Matt Zima adding another to give NAIT and early 2-0 lead. The Langara Falcons were able to battle back and muster one goal before the half to make it a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
In the second half, the wind seemed to pick up and shift directly against the Ooks making it tough for to advance the ball. The Falcons would take advantage as they score two quick goals to take a 3-2 lead. NAIT desperately tried to tie the game, finding different ways to advance the ball but the Falcons were able to cling on to the lead taking the match, claiming 5th place in the CCAA, with the NAIT Ooks finishing in 6
The gold medal in the four-day, eight-team, 14-game event went to Humber Hawks with a 1-0 decision against Indiens d'Ahuntsic (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec) Montreal, Quebec.
NAIT Ooks were awarded the Exemplary Leadership Award, while Matt McLean was named to the CCAA Tournament Al-Star Team.
Footnotes
Ooks Zach Kaiser was honoured as a CCAA All Canadian Thursday at the banquet and below is his bio write-up from the CCAA website: The fifth-year midfielder led NAIT to a first-place finish in the ACAC North Division with a 9-0-1 record. Kaiser's leadership and superb play in the midfield make him a standout on any pitch anywhere. He is the anchor and heart and soul of the Ooks. The NAIT captain is a coach's dream; a person of true character and an inspiration to all who know him. Kaiser sets the example to his teammates through his work ethic.