The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's soccer team will appear in their first OUA Final Four since 2004, where they'll face off against the Western Mustangs in semifinal action on Friday, November 1 at the Matt Anthony Field in Ottawa.
 
Kick-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. All four matches will be streamed live on OUA.tv.
 
The second OUA semifinal features OUA and U SPORTS defending champion Ottawa Gee-Gees and York Lions. The winners of both semifinals will advance to Saturday's gold-medal match and will secure a berth into the 2019 U SPORTS championship, November 7-10, hosted by the University of Victoria.
 
"The group has worked really hard over the last two months to get to where we are this weekend," said Varsity Blues associate head coach Angelo Cavalluzzo. "Knowing we are one match away from heading to the national tournament is really exciting but we have a huge obstacle in our way in the form of Western University, who were the top team in the OUA West. We have some ideas as to how we can exploit them, but at the end of the day it's about the desire and togetherness of the players on the day and I believe our group epitomizes these qualities and will be at it and ready to go on Friday. Our expectation is to go to the national tournament and bring a medal home with us this weekend."

The Blues enter the Final Four for the first time in 15 years as third-year midfielder Miranda Badovinac scored two goals and added one assist in a dominant 3-0 victory over the then No. 5 nationally-ranked Queen's Gaels this past Sunday.  
 
Toronto will be vying for their first OUA title in program history this weekend. Since the team's inception in 1985, the Blues have claimed one silver medal (1990) and two bronze medals (1989, 2004) at the OUA Final Four.
 
The Blues finished the regular season as the No. 4 ranked team in the East division with a 7-4-3 record.  Toronto battled the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in the first round of the playoffs and came away with a 1-0 win thanks to a Badovinac header in the first half.
 
The Blues attacking core has been key to the team's impressive season so far.
 
Badovinac's three goals in the playoffs so far has shown that she is one of the Blues many threats in front of goal. The NCAA transfer is Toronto's top scorer this season with 10 goals in 16 games. Fifth-year striker Jenny Wolever has also boasted an impressive scoring record this season after she transfer from Queen's, scoring eight goals this season, while also recording six assists.
 
As well as the goal scorers, the Blues defensive line has played a vital role in the team's historic run this season. Goalkeeper Levanta Staggolis and defenders Daniela Cipriano, Rena Nakajima and Anna Crone have helped the Blues keep seven clean sheets this season.
 
As for Western, the Mustangs finished the season as the top-ranked team in the West division, with a 10-0-4 record. They squeaked out a 1-0 win over McMaster in their quarter-final to book their spot in the Final Four.
 
2019 OUA Final Four Schedule
Matt Anthony Field
 
Friday, November 1
11:00 am   York vs Ottawa
2:00 pm     Toronto vs Western

Saturday, November 2
11:00 am Bronze Medal Match
2:00 pm   Gold Medal Match

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