By Daniel Carrero
The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s soccer team drew 0-0 against Trent Excalibur in the last game of the regular season, as the team said farewell to 12 graduating players at Downsview Park on Sunday afternoon.
Before the match-up, TMU had already been eliminated from the Ontario University Athletic (OUA) playoffs. TMU finished seventh in the OUA East standings with three wins, seven losses and two ties.
“Obviously, we [are losing] a lot of seniors,” said head coach Natalie Bukovec. “It’s definitely sad because you see them come here and become these fantastic humans.”
TMU played with their usual 4-3-3 formation with high intensity and quick passes, aiming to create options on the wings. Nevertheless, Trent knew how to counter their gameplay—sitting on a solid 4-2-3-1 formation—with a pair of defensive midfielders that invalidated TMU’s attempts with a block-style defence.
TMU had few chances during the first half and an off-side goal was ruled out for second-year striker Taliyah Walker in the 40th minute. During the first half, both teams lacked creativity and consistency within their game style, resulting in a dull half with nothing to show on the scoreboard.
With a higher pressure and intensity, TMU took control of the game in the second half. The Bold stuck with the same tactics from the first forty-five minutes but looked more compact and organized.
“Half-time talk was just to keep doing what we were doing. [We] had to capitalize on the key moments,” said Bukovec.
It wasn’t until the 70th minute that TMU struggled to defend an attacking opportunity from Trent. Fifth-year defender Samantha Naus committed a tactical foul on the edge of the box. The foul resulted in their second yellow card of the game and consequently a red card—forcing them to step out of the pitch and leave TMU with 10 players.
The game didn’t change much after the red card, as it forced TMU to have a more defensive mentality towards the end of the game. The final whistle blew with a draw after 90 minutes.
For multiple players, it meant the end of a cycle with the TMU women’s soccer program.
“I’m hoping to play abroad if that’s an option,” said fifth-year midfielder Maria Poveda. “If not, [I’ll] jump back into the tech world of computer science.”
For fourth-year midfielder Ivymae Perez, this game meant a one-last dance with the team after dealing with injuries during the season.
“It was my first game back [after dealing with injuries], it was nice to finally just play with the girls one last time,” said Perez. “It’s been a hell of a ride.”
UP NEXT: TMU looks to the off-season to fill the gaps of the graduating players.
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