By: Kajan Thiruthanikasalam

Following consecutive losses last weekend to the Algonquin Thunder and St. Lawrence Vikings, respectively, the Centennial Colts women’s soccer team looked to avoid a third straight loss in what was the final home game of the season at Progress Turf Field on Friday night.

But they were in tough facing a team in the Durham Lords, who were in fourth place in the OCAA East, coming off a tough 2-0 home loss to the previously unbeaten Algonquin Thunder last Saturday.

For the better portion of 60 minutes, Centennial was neck-and-neck with Durham. In the span of 30 minutes, however, it all fell apart.

“If I knew (exactly) what went wrong, I’d be a genius,” Diarmuid O’Connor, Colts Head Coach, said.

Down by a goal early in the second half, Durham (5-2) scored six unanswered to get back into the win column with a 6-1 road victory over Centennial (2-5). The visitors had the edge in every offensive category: shots (32-10), shots on goal (21-7), and corner kicks (9-5).

“Some of it was our own downfall. I think we made some passes we shouldn’t have made and they ended up costing us,” O’Connor said. “We’re disappointed (but) we’re ready to (bounce) back.”

MacKenzie Barry had a pair to pace Durham while Bailey Colangelo, Carina Konstantinou, Cory Lapointe, and Makayla Rudder each had one as Durham remains in fourth place in the OCAA East.

Nailah Rowe scored her team leading 10th goal of the season for Centennial’s lone goal of the night. For the Lady Colts, it marks their third straight loss as they remain sixth in the OCAA East, heading into the final two games in desperation mode to earn a playoff berth.

Before the game, seven members of the Centennial women’s soccer team were honoured as part of Senior’s Night. Michelle Bowen, Katherine Inglis, Kayla Lui, Tasia Martin, Isabelle Pena, Sabrina Rizzo, and Rowe were honoured with flowers, courtesy of the Centennial Colts athletic department.

“Some have been here for a short while; some have been here for a few years,” O’Connor said. “Each one brought something special and different to the team so I’m happy for each one of them.” 

O’Connor acknowledged that he will need to recruit girls for next season in order to fill the big shoes left behind by the outgoing players.

“Some of them will be a big loss for us on the field (so) it’s up to us to recruit people and replace them,” O’Connor noted.

“Every year, we lose and gain a lot of players,” captain Caitlin Cosgrove said of what to expect for next outdoor season. “I think it’s about keeping the momentum and to show that you can able to (adjust seamlessly) on and off the field with new players.” 

Both teams had numerous chances on and around the net in the first half but couldn’t get that opening goal through as the game was scoreless at halftime.

One minute into the second half, however, that scoreless tie was no longer as Rowe streaked down the left side and promptly fired a left footed strike off the fingertips of Karrington Steed and into the back of the net to put Centennial up one. But the lead was short lived as Lapointe tied the game up, firing home the rebound after Sabrina Rizzo stopped Vanessa Juras. 

Durham then scored their next two goals on a pair of miscues from Rizzo. The Colts goalie cleared out the ball in the 59th minute right to Barry at the edge of the penalty box, who made no mistake firing a low shot past her. Colangelo then fired a close shot into the open net in the 63rd minute after Rizzo mishandled a cross into the box. The Lords then extended their lead to three in the 66th minute on Rudder’s sixth goal of the season.

Things got chippy in the 80th minute as Centennial was looking to be aggressive and get something going offensively as Hannah Sealy was booked with a yellow card.

The visitors then added on two more goals in the last five minutes, courtesy of Barry in the 86th minute and substitute Konstantinou in the 89th minute to wrap up the game’s scoring.

“It’s important for us to stay positive and to not look at the scoreboard,” Cosgrove said as they head on the road for the final two games of the regular season. “Every time we get the ball, we have to think it’s still 0-0 and we have to be hungry.”

The Lady Colts’ next game will not be until next Saturday, Oct. 12, when they head to Esther Shiner Stadium to face off against the George Brown Huskies, who are fifth in the OCAA East with a 3-3 record.

“We need three points... and then you hope things go your way this weekend (with) a lot of games going on,” O’Connor says of the significance of the next game.