LONDON Ont. (November 6, 2016) – The Gaels suffered a 1-0 loss to the UOIT Ridgebacks in the OUA Championship game, and will head to Acadia for the National Championships as the OUA Finalists. With the result, UOIT thwarted the Gaels hopes of repeating as provincial champions and captured the first OUA Championship in the history of their women's soccer program.

GAME FLOW
To start the first half, Queen's struggled to keep possession of the ball against the relentless pressure applied by the Ridgebacks. The tricolour were forced to make a sub in the opening minutes when Rachel Radu (Ottawa) took a knee and was replaced by Savannah Meyer-Clement (Oshawa, Ont.). After 15 mintues, the Gaels found their footing and began to have some success advancing the ball. Just when Queen's was starting to look dangerous in the offensive third, a costly give away got turned into a breakaway opportunity for UOIT's Taijah Henderson. The Ridgeback attacker beat out the Gaels defenders in a race toward goal, making a move at the top of the box before putting her team ahead with a low shot that beat Madison Tyrell (White Rock, B.C.). Lauren Winquist (London, Ont.) and Sarah Nixon (Oakville, Ont.) checked into the game soon after, and the tricolour picked up the intensity as the half progressed. The two subs made an instant impact, with Windquist causing a turnover at the top of the 18 before passing across to Nixon, whose shot was saved by UOIT's Helen Frampton. Jenny Wolever (Toronto) was marked closely for much of the first half, but got away from her defenders late in the half when she cut in from the wing, firing a shot that missed high.
 
Queen's came out of halftime playing their best soccer of the match. The Gaels built on their momentum from late in the first half and played balls down the wings to get into Ridgebacks territory. Even though the Gaels were finding a little more time on the ball, UOIT continued to keep the tricolour off the scoreboard with solid defence in their own end. Laura Callender (Ottawa) found some space in the middle of the field and fired a shot goalward, but Frampton was there to tip it onto the crossbar and out for a Gaels corner. Wolever had another chance for Queen's when she sped past her defenders, but her left-footed shot was saved on the turf. Brittany Almeida (Kingston, Ont.) created an opportunity for herself when she danced away from a UOIT would-be tackler and fired a rocket toward the top right corner. The ball beat a diving Frampton, but sailed harmlessly wide. In the final 10 minutes of the game, UOIT recovered the form they had early in the game, shutting down every Gaels chance before any threat of danger. When the final whistle sounded, UOIT was crowned the OUA Champion and the Gaels settled for silver. 

Tyrell finished the game with four saves, while Frampton was credited with two.

Both teams will represent the OUA at the U Sports National Championship this week in Wolfville, N.S., hosted by Acadia. 
 

MUST SEE - Queen's came THIS CLOSE to drawing level with the OUA Champion @UOITRidgebacks. pic.twitter.com/f9F5aStHCI

— #ChaGheill (@queensgaels) November 6, 2016

BY THE NUMBERS
2 – Queen's has earned a spot at the National Championships for the second straight year
2 – Two teams from the OUA East met in the OUA Final this year
15 – Head coach Dave McDowell has taken the Gaels to the National Championships 15 times
 
UP NEXT
Queen's is off to the U Sports National Championship at Acadia, with their first game on Thursday, November 10.