By Keiran Gorsky
Building on a string of playoff appearances, Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) Bold women’s soccer team looks to hop another hurdle, with the 2023 season fast approaching.
It was a tale of two seasons for the Bold last year. They quickly racked up nine points in their first five matches, only to go winless in their last seven. It culminated in TMU drawing a difficult University of Toronto (U of T) Varsity Blues team in the first round of the post-season. U of T has an established program fourth-year midfielder and leading scorer Ivymae Perez begrudgingly called “one of the top programs” in Ontario University Athletics.
“We just need to take more shots to begin with”
It marked the first time the women’s team qualified for three consecutive post-seasons, though only one resulted in a second-round appearance. A certain frustration is all too present, even while Bold players look back at the season with some satisfaction.
“We went into that game knowing we had nothing to lose and everything to gain,” said fourth-year midfielder Vittoria Gallivan, who started every game last season. “At the end, we kind of reflected on our season and how we still came together and played with pride.”
Players speak about the game almost as if it happened just yesterday.
“U of T are not an easy team to play against,” said Perez, who scored six goals and was named team MVP at the end of the season. “It was a lot of back and forth and we were playing up to their standards. We were giving them a little trouble.”
Gallivan added that “Our team has a great ability to come together and play like a family.”
Still, there is an appetite to improve on last season’s 3-7-3 finish, in which TMU scored a total of just 12 goals.
“We just need to take more shots to begin with,” said Perez. “Just being able to shoot, it sounds so simple, but [too often], we wanted to walk the ball into the box rather than taking shots…All the goals don’t need to be pretty.”
“Our team has a great ability to come together and play like a family”
With the return of head coach Natalie Bukovec after a year away on maternity leave, Bold veterans are looking forward to a reunion.
“I’m very excited for her to come back [as] I didn’t get the chance to get close to her last year,” said Perez. “I’m excited to see her come back with [assistant coach John Yacou]. I know she can bring a lot to the table.”
Gallivan emphasized the importance of TMU’s coaching staff as well as the team’s strength conditioning team and athletic therapists. “Everyone will be contributing to our success this season.”
The Bold are back to business with three exhibition matches in late August. The regular season gets underway on Sept. 2, when the Bold will make the long trip to Sudbury, Ont. to play the Laurentian Voyageurs at James Jerome Complex. TMU’s first home game will take place Sept. 9 when the Bold face the Nipissing Lakers.
While expectations are higher, Gallivan explained how some of the veterans are looking a little beyond this year.
“Obviously we want to go even further [than last year] and make program history. But something that’s honestly bigger for me, since it’s my last season, is leaving the program in a better place than when I joined.”
Aside from victory, Gallivan hopes to lead by example and become a mentor for the younger players.
“Though winning is incredibly important,” she said. “If the team thrives after I leave, that’s when I know I’ve really made an impact.”
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