University of Toronto Athletics

First-year midfielder Artem Tesker was instrumental in leading the Varsity Blues men’s soccer team to a 3-1 quarter-final upset victory over the No. 5 nationally-ranked Ryerson Rams on Sunday night (Oct. 27).

The arts and science major from Moscow tallied Toronto’s first goal of the match in the 27th minute, burying Atchu Sivananthan’s rebound to give the Blues a lead that they would not relinquish. He also assisted on U of T’s second goal, the eventual game-winner, feeding a nice pass to team captain Nikola Stakic.

Tesker was a dominant force for the remainder of the match, controlling the midfield, shutting down any offensive bursts from the Rams and forcing turnovers at opportune times. He was also a vital component in Toronto’s 6-0 first-round victory over the Nipissing Lakers on Wednesday night.