By Victoria Tavares

Over a decade ago, on Nov. 1, 2015, Bold men’s soccer beat out the Carleton Ravens 3-0 in the Ontario University Athletics playoff quarterfinal.

The win left the Ravens with a bad taste in their mouths. And if you ask head coach Filip Prostran, that loss sparked a rivalry that’s lasted to this day.

In a regular season match-up in October this year, Prostran dubbed the Ravens the Bold’s “greatest rival for the past decade…whenever we play them, whether it’s playoffs or regular season, the margins are always so thin.”

Prostran isn’t wrong. The Ravens and the Bold have been remarkably evenly matched, recording six wins, six losses, and four ties against one another since September 2017. 

Prostran, who was still in his first year of assistant coaching, said he remembered “being really, really nervous coaching that game.” 

That day, Prostran was also facing off against long-time Carleton men’s soccer head coach Sandy Mackie, whom he described as someone he held much respect for.

Mackie, who finished coaching Carleton in 2015, had added over two decades of experience to the Ravens since 1992.

“[The Ravens] have a really, really clear picture of what they’re trying to accomplish, both offensively and defensively,” said Prostran.

“Then on top of that, they always have this incredible unity and fighting spirit that I really, really admire,” said Prostran.

Ball possession and “creating a rhythm with the ball” are just a few of the challenges the Bold have faced against the Ravens.

TMU’s counter has always centred upon strategic versatility, rotating between high defensive pressure, a medium block and a more defence-based setup to disrupt Carleton’s rhythm and force the Ravens to continually adapt. 

By varying its defensive shape, the Bold aim to keep the Ravens guessing while maintaining possession and limiting their opportunities to establish control of the game. 

Set pieces are also a key focal point as Carleton has historically attacked from corners and free kicks in playoff matchups, supported by a physically imposing centre-back pairing. 

TMU will need to limit the Ravens’ space in the air and prevent them from capitalizing on these opportunities in future matches. Above all, the Bold must remain proactive and disciplined, avoiding unnecessary fouls near their own goal that could give Carleton a dangerous scoring opportunity.

As of this weekend, TMU clinched the first spot in the OUA standings, with rivals Carleton sitting in sixth. Although another quarterfinal meeting looks unlikely, the rivalry and its memory linger today in the players’ minds.

For Dante Ferraro, TMU’s fifth-year goalie, these memories are ones he relishes.

“I look forward to it [playing against them], said Ferraro. “Everyone’s going to be fighting and just doing our best battle with each other.”

In a similar recount, third-year defender Noah Pickering describes playing against Carleton in the playoffs as “a dogfight the entire time.”

Pickering, who appeared in TMU’s blockbuster 2-1 double overtime victory against the Ravens in 2024, remembers the moment with vivid clarity. 

“It was amazing. I love playing them because they really like to go back-and-forth just as much as we do.” 

Beyond the rivalry itself, the theme of sportsmanship and respect circles itself. 

“They don’t go down without trying hard,” said Ferraro, adding, “it’s just their grit and their willingness to fight.” 

As Pickering noted, the Ravens have built a reputation for their grit, possession and “fluid” style of play. 

However, rivalries ebb and flow from season to season, and the Bold won’t wait on Carleton to find their best soccer in the postseason.