The No. 8 nationally ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's soccer team fell 3-1 to the Nipissing Lakers in the OUA quarter-finals on Saturday (Oct. 24) afternoon in North Bay, Ont.
Building off their five-goal performance versus TMU, Toronto's offence picked up right where they left off when third-year midfielder Kimee Liu's through ball made its way to third-year forward Beatrice Audain. With Audain storming towards the goal, the political science student from West Vancouver fired a shot past a diving Hayden Hanley to open the scoring in the first minute.
The Lakers came close to tying the game in the 19
th minute as Avery Baker fired a shot from just outside the box, but fourth-year goalkeeper Maria Godoy-Atrash gave her nothing to shoot at as the ball was over the crossbar. On a 26
th minute free kick from 30 yards out, Annika Nolte's free kick was smothered by Godoy-Atrash. In the 40
th minute, Nipissing pressed with multiple shot attempts in the box but the defensive core of Sophia Glatter, Ula Curley, Natasha Budisa and Samantha Gravina but their bodies on the line, blocking shots and keep the 1-0 score unchanged heading into halftime.
Right out of the gate in the second half, a 45
th minute goal from Hannah Neville leveled the score. The Lakers grabbed their first lead of the game five minutes later as Bella Notle set up Neville for her second goal of the game. In the 76
th minute, Nipissing would score an insurance marker as Neville completed the hat trick.
Trailing by two goals, the Blue and White dug in looking to get back in the match. In the 77
th minute a strike from third-year forward Julia Cristovao was turned aside by goalkeeper Hayden Hanley. At the other end of the pitch, Godoy-Atrash made the best of her five saves on Alicia McMurren.Toronto continued to fight right up until the final whistle forcing the ball down the field and generating chances through 90 minutes of play. A strong defensive game from the Lakers was able to hold off U of T's attack, ending Toronto's 2026 campaign as the final whistle sounded in the quarter-final.
Now, the Blues will turn their focus to offseason training where they will look to regroup and remain a championship contender in a strong OUA conference.
Â
