By: Justin Parker
Injuries and inexperience have been the pillars of adversity during this year’s campaign for the men’s soccer team.
Mental errors and mistakes have cost the team multiple games this year. Just as a game looks wrapped up for Mac, an untimely turnover or a lapse in defence has led to winnable games turning into disappointing ties or loses.
In a league where they are accustomed to sitting at the top, the Marauders find themselves sitting in fifth place in the Ontario University Athletics West division, recording 15 points through 11 games while sporting a 4-4-3 record.
Heading into the final game of a three-game road trip, things were starting to look good for the team. In their last two road games, the men were able to secure wins over the Brock Badgers and the Waterloo Warriors, with scores of 1-0 and 3-1 respectively. Having beaten teams lower in the standings, the Marauders were hoping to carry their momentum against the Western Mustangs, who they previously beat in their first game of the season 2-0 at home.
This time around, Mac wasn’t able to repeat their previous performance, falling 4-1 in London, marking only the second time this season where the Marauders have allowed four goals in a game. In their return home to Ron Joyce Stadium on Oct. 2, Mac was unable to hold onto a late lead, eventually settling for a 1-1 draw to the sixth-placed Windsor Lancers.
According to head coach Dino Perri, the game plan and talent is all there, it just comes down to the execution.
“We were facing a tough team and were not up to the challenge,” Perri said after their loss to Western. “There are no answers for it. We had the right game plan but didn’t execute, made silly mistakes, and mental errors.”
Fortunately for Mac, they still sit in playoff position, with the top six teams in each division making the OUA playoffs. After a tough season plagued with injuries, the team had their confidence fall momentarily. Coach Perri believes the team can get it back and that they’re still capable of winning the games they need to.
“We have the bodies and the talent, we just need to stop making mental errors and execute.”
Injury woes seem to be coming to an end, as Kody Kazda and Sasha Ricciuti are on their way back to the field as they start training next week.
With a week off following Thanksgiving, the Marauders will have a chance to readjust their lineup moving forward and reintegrate the players who have missed time due to injury.
After the break, Mac has four games remaining to get things up to speed, so that they are firing on all cylinders come playoffs. Although they are not in the position they hoped to be, they are still in good form. Perri believes the team just needs to all come together and execute moving forward.
This is a turning point for the Marauders’ 2016 season, and each week continues to be a test on a team that has not had an easy road. It’s not too late for the team to rise in the rankings and provide upsets along the way.
And who knows; come playoff time, anything is possible.
By: Tyler Annand
Ahead of the Marauders’ short trip to St. Catharines this Wednesday, head coach Brett Mosen has questions to answer.
The McMaster women’s soccer team is travelling to face Brock University on the back of a winless season. After seven games, the Marauders have only salvaged two points, while only scoring four total goals. A lack of finishing, team cohesion, and the absence of attractive and attacking football are some of the main culprits responsible for their slow start to the season.
While their play can be analyzed in a technical sense as to why they have been unable to pick up a win, human psychology and confidence plays the biggest role during a slump like this.
The truth of the matter is that no athlete, whether they are a professional, an amateur, or a student, likes to lose. Losing a tight game, getting blown out on the road in an intimidating atmosphere, losing at home in front of family and friends are some of the worst experiences an athlete can imagine. If anyone asked any member of the McMaster women’s team if they enjoy losing, the answer would be a resounding “no”.
Instead of talking about their poor start to the season, or lack of scoring, it is important that everyone, including the team itself, discuss the positives in a generally negative atmosphere. The women understand that they could have done better, the important thing is that they know they have time to improve.
To start off, the quality of the players is definitely present. McMaster began the 2016-17 season with two ties; one against the Mustangs at Ron Joyce Stadium, and the other against the Lancers in a tight game in Windsor. Both of these games occurred on the same weekend, and were against top-three teams in the Ontario University Athletics West division.
The goal now is to rediscover that swagger and for each player to start making their own personal, attainable goals. The team understands that they will not have the prettiest team statistics by the end of the season, but if winning those one-on-one battles as an attacking player and blocking a certain amount of shots as a defending player boosts individual confidence, then focus on that.
It is also important for the women to play to their own strengths. If you are a tall and physically imposing player trying to play outside of your role, the product will be discouraging. In contrast, if you are trying to be a standard cog in a machine, the product will also be less than desirable. Each player needs to perform a mix between their own uniqueness and the team’s identity.
For the women’s soccer team, there is no time to dwell on the losses. Not because they have everything to lose, but because it harm confidence, optimism, and growth. Losing hurts. The only benefit from dwelling on a loss is to understand how it feels to lose and to strive to make that not happen again.
Marauder fans know the quality is there and know that Mac has it in them to compete with the top OUA teams. Start winning your own personal battles and you will start seeing that translate to the pitch.
After back-to-back deep runs in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national tournament, the latest McMaster men’s soccer campaign has been met with adversity.
After winning their first two games, the squad has stumbled over their last few games. This included a 4-2 loss to the defending CIS champions York Lions, who scored three goals in a span of four minutes to open the second half.
Five games into the season, Mac sits in sixth place in the OUA West Division, with seven total points and a 2-2-1 record.
Mac head coach Dino Perri points to key injuries - including wing players Marco Gennaccaro and Sasha Ricciuti – as their main obstacle so far into the season.
“Our biggest problem is having so many key players out injured, forcing us to rotate our starting lineups,” Perri said after the team’s practice on Monday night. “We don’t have a consistent starting lineup every game. You’re trying to teach new players of the system and team to step in and fill their spot. They’re put in a tough situation.”
“We have to take a few steps back and simplify our strategy. This is the most difficult part of our schedule right now, playing top CIS teams back to back.”
While injuries are unfortunate, they also provide opportunities for other players to step up and expand their role. One player who has impressed so far is first year striker Dusan Kovacevic, who has been a bright spot early in the season.
“Our one rookie starter [Kovacevic] has scored some quality goals for us and has definitely stepped up his play,” Perri said.
Other players have stepped up their game. Third-year midfielder Yunus Mollayev has scored three goals on eight shots this season, while fourth-year goalkeeper Kieran Doyle-Davis has already registered three shutouts.
McMaster has only faced teams that are currently in front of them in the OUA West division. Still, Coach Perri – who has been the head coach of the men’s soccer team since 2008 – holds a high standard befitting to previous years, no matter whom Mac is facing.
“The standard is the standard, regardless of who’s on the field,” Perri said. “I’d like to see us at the top of the table, realistic or not. We want to be in a situation where we are one of the top two teams heading into the playoffs.”
McMaster plays each team within the OUA West division twice during the regular season, so there will be opportunities for the team to exact revenge for their previous losses, and improve in the standings.
Their next game takes place at home, in a rematch against third-place Guelph. The last time the two teams faced each other ended in a scrappy 0-0 draw, with the two teams combining for 11 yellow cards.
“It was a chippy game last time against Guelph,” Perri said. “We’ll need to maintain our patience, and make sure the officials take care of the scrappy tactics.”
With players returning from injury soon and an experienced coach at the helm, there is still reason for optimism for the men’s soccer team for the rest of the season.
It was a weekend of mixed results for the McMaster Marauder’s women’s soccer team. The squad sits third in the OUA West conference after the ladies split two games over the weekend.
On Saturday, the Marauders headed to the University of Guelph to take on an opponent who sits only two positions behind Mac in the standings. The Maroon and Grey expected a hard-fought battle with playoff implications looming over both teams, but the Marauders fell at the hands of the Gryphons.
The first half would see a strong performance from McMaster; the Gryphon goalkeeper put the team on her back and refused to allow any goals from the Maroon attack.
In the second, the goalkeeper spotlight would be put on McMaster’s Brittany Duffey, who parried a strike from a pressing Guelph forward to maintain the tie.
But the tie would not last, as in the final minute of play the Gryphons would break the stalemate after a shot bounced off the crossbar, found a Gryphon forward’s end, and ended in the back of the Marauder goal. The deflating loss would not carry over however, as the women bounced back immediately in Sunday’s contest against the UOIT Ridgebacks. The women took the victory over the Ridgebacks, who are locked in a tight playoff race in the lower half of the playoff bracket.
Mac’s lone goal of the contest game in the 30th minute from team captain Mel Van Der Hoop. The score would be enough to surge McMaster to victory as the team rode a steady offense and solid goaltending to their eighth win of the 2012 season.
Only three games remain in the Marauder’s regular season. Currently, McMaster sits in 3rd place in the OUA West conference, three points behind the Western University Mustangs and six points behind the Laurier Golden Hawks.
The first of three games is against the York Lions, a team only two points behind the Marauders. A win in this Wednesday match-up would create an almost insurmountable lead over the Lions and secure at least a third place finish the OUA West, given the Marauders win at least one other game.
On Friday, McMaster will travel to the University of Windsor to face the Lancers, who have only one win to their name. The final game of the regular season will be at Western, with a possible opportunity to leapfrog the Mustangs to take second-place.
Although who their match-up will be is unclear, the Marauders are in OUA playoff contention and the first game will be on Wednesday, Oct. 24.
It was another successful weekend from the McMaster Marauders men’s soccer team, picking up another two victories against mediocre OUA opponents and securing themselves a second-place spot.
On Saturday, McMaster travelled to the University of Guelph, taking on a Gryphon squad who is jockeying for playoff position. Earlier in the season, the Marauders beat the Gryphons 3-1 and the Maroon and Grey would experience a similar result in their second match-up of the season, earning the victory 2-1.
The scoring began in the 27th minute, with Gersi Xhuti scoring his 4th goal of the 2012 campaign. The first half would end with a 1-0 lead, but the score failed to highlight the domination by McMaster.
The Gryphons struggled to maintain possession or put together any sort of offense in the first half, but their difficulties would end in the second half. A Guelph striker broke through the Mac defense and scored a goal to even up the score in the 49th minute of action.
The tie would not last long though, with a rare goal from defender Garrett McConville. The sweeper’s game-winning score was only the second of his career, but it was enough to give the Maroon and Grey the edge and increase their lead in the OUA West table over the trailing Western University Mustangs.
McMaster’s winning ways would not stop there. On Sunday, the Marauders hosted the UOIT Ridgebacks, a team who’s only captured three victories in 16 games. In the previous matchup, Mac defeated the Ridgebacks with a 1-0 victory, despite an overwhelming presence in the offensive third of the pitch.
In the rematch, McMaster would conduct another impressive performance over the decade-old school from Oshawa, Ont. winning 2-0 at Ron Joyce Stadium. Ryan Garnett would continue his excellent play in the second of the 2012 season, scoring the eventual game-winning goal in the 39th minute. Garnett finished from just outside the 18-yard box with a strike to create the 1-0 margin.
Sparks would fly in the second half, starting with a second half tally from defender Dominik Blachut, the first goal of his career. At the mid-point of the second half, tensions would boil over between both sides. A shouting match between coaching staffs began before the head referee broke up either side. Short after, a UOIT player would earn his second yellow card of the game, forcing UOIT to play one man short.
McMaster could not capitalize on the opportunity and the game would end 2-0 to push McMaster’s record to 11-1-1. Mac sits three points behind the conference leading York Lions. The Lions host the Marauders on Wednesday in one of the biggest games of the entire CIS season.
York is ranked No.1 in the nation and McMaster is ranked No.4, and this match could decide who finishes first on the OUA table.
The University of Windsor will host McMaster on Friday for their second match up of the season, looking for revenge after the Lancers took a loss on the road to the Marauders.
The Maroon and Grey will also hit the road for a match against the Western Mustangs on Sunday for their final regular season match. OUA playoff action begins on Wednesday Oct. 24.
The game had equal opportunities from each side, with strong defensive efforts from both teams. After 90 minutes though, the score was a second straight 0-0 draw for the women.
The Marauders had a solid defensive game, holding their ground when it was important. Regardless, Mac could not put the ball in the back of the net.
We’ve got to work on our attacking play, we’ve worked very hard on defensive stuff, and we’ve put a lot of things right,” said Brett Mosen, the Marauder’s head coach. After adjusting the team’s offensive play along with their solid defensive core, they hope to soon become a force to be reckoned with.
With the loss of some key players on the women’s soccer team from last year such as captain Melanie Van der Hoop, the Marauders keep moving forward with the playoffs in mind. According to Mosen, the departure of these players seems to have made the team better overall.
“As a whole, the squad is stronger, because they have all invested in an off-season program — working hard, every player is stronger than last year, making us a stronger unit,” Mosen said. Physically, one of the team’s biggest challenges is not skill, but the demanding schedules from the players, according to the coach.
“Our biggest challenge is back-to-back games, because you’re asking player to give 110 per cent for 90 minutes,” Mosen said. “Now you’re asking them to do it again.”
With a tough and demanding schedule ahead of them, the girls will have to push themselves for a win.
Finishing last season with a record of 8-5-1, the team will take their strengths forward this season looking to improve. With a record of 3-1-2, after a 3-0 road victory on Sept. 15 against the UOIT Razorbacks, the Maroon and Grey are third place within the OUA. The team is certainly looking to climb the standings and catch first place Laurier who the Marauders will face on Sept. 23 in Waterloo.
Next up on the schedule, Mac will face the Brock Badgers. The game will be taking place on Friday with kickoff at 1 p.m. It has been a positive start, but the team still has some room to improve. A game against the lowly Badgers (1-3-0) could help ease the growing pains.
The York Lions secured top spot in the OUA West after giving the McMaster Marauders their first loss of the season.
The No.7 ranked York squad opened the scoring with a goal in the 10th minute of play. The No. 4 Marauders would concede another goal before the end of the first half, giving the Lions an imposing 2-0 lead.
McMaster has excelled in the second half of games in the 2012 season, shown by the comeback against the Western Mustangs in the previous game. Mac continued this habit against York, scoring a goal in the 47th minute off a free kick.
The goal lit a fire underneath both squads, causing a rough affair throughout the rest of the game. Players were jawing at each other, tackles ended with at least one man on the ground, and cards were used frequently in order to keep both teams in line.
The second half shenanigans reached a peak when the teams were lined up for a free kick on the York 18-yard line. The York Lions were assessed a red-card for an altercation involving Marauder Mark Reilly and the Mac team had a man advantage for the last 20 minutes of the game.
York sealed the game after a handball in the Marauder box led to a penalty, which extended the lead to 3-1.
The Marauders take on the Guelph Gryphons at Ron Joyce on Saturday at 3:15 PM. On Sunday, the men head to UOIT to take on the Ridgebacks. Both games are winnable and Mac will look to take back first place in their conference.
After one week of soccer action, McMaster’s men’s and women’s teams are off to a solid start.
The squad opened their season on the road, taking on the University of Waterloo Warriors. The men’s squad finished the game with a 3-1 win over the Waterloo team, led by 2011 Rookie of the Year, Gersi Xhuti with two goals in the second half.
The women’s team shutout the Warriors with a 2-0 tally, as goalkeeper Brittany Duffey got her first clean sheet of the season.
Both teams were successful in the home opener against the Windsor Lancers.
Emma Mangialardi scored the game winner for the Marauders, helping lift the team to a 3-1 victory.
Paterson Farrel knocked in two goals for the Marauders, as Mac would take down Windsor 3-1 in the home opener at Ron Joyce Stadium.
The Western Mustangs visited McMaster on Sunday, taking down the Marauder’s women’s squad but falling to the defending champion men’s team. The women’s loss was a frustrating one, with Mac unable to beat the Mustang defense despite many first half opportunities.
Coach Dino Perri’s squad was able to defeat the Mustang men 2-1, due to a second half surge that saw the Marauders comeback from a 1-0 deficit at the half. Mark Reilly put the game winner past the Western keeper in the 84th minute.
The teams take on the York Lions at Ron Joyce Stadium on Wednesday, starting at 6 p.m. with the women’s game, followed by the men’s match at 8:15 p.m.
