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TMU Athletics & Recreation

THE OFFICIAL HOME OF TMU Bold
THE OFFICIAL HOME OF THE TMU Bold HOME OF THE TMU Bold
A TMU player chases a ball after deking around the goalkeeper.
Photo by Jack Shanlin
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Toronto TORONTO ()
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Toronto Metropolitan TMU ()
Toronto TORONTO
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Final
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Toronto Metropolitan TMU
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Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Toronto TORONTO 1 1 2
Toronto Metropolitan TMU 1 1 2

Game Recap: Soccer (W) | | Jay Greyvenstein

Late equalizer lifts Bold to draw with Toronto

TORONTO - It was a hard-fought 2-2 draw in the Battle of Toronto for the TMU women's soccer team. A late red-card and equalizer saved the afternoon for TMU, giving them a crucial point on Saturday afternoon. The tie puts their record at 1-3-1 on the year as they enter the middle stretch of the season.

"This result puts us on a level playing field, and makes the possibility of top 4 realistic," said head coach, Natalie Bukovec, of the comeback.

The early stages of the first half were dominated by TMU as they controlled possession, forcing Toronto to chase the game early. A high-defensive back three contributed to the pressure, with Alexia Rhooms effectively coordinating the offence and defence from the back end.

This high attacking backend led to Toronto counter-attacking chances with long, aerial through balls putting pressure on first-year keeper Elisa Paolucci. Paolucci constantly answered the call, however, with three first half saves. None of these were more significant than an 11th minute finger-tip stop, which kept the score even at 0-0.

"I feel like [a big save early] keeps everybody's heads up," said Paolucci of her spectacular save.

The pressure for the Varsity Blues continued, as they won five first half corners, putting the Bold back on their heels during the middle portion of the first half.



The Bold capitalized off this pressure however, as a Taliyah Walker fast break off a Toronto corner led to a clinical finish as she quickly deked around the keeper and put the ball in the vacated Varsity Blues net from the edge of box.

The first half lead did not change the Bold strategy, as they continued to exert pressure on the Toronto defence. This continued attack ultimately led to a long ball by the Varsity Blues on the counterattack, and a foul committed in the box by TMU to prevent a quality Toronto scoring opportunity gave the Varsity Blues a penalty which they used to even the score at 1-1 as the teams entered the halftime break.

As the teams came out for the second half, TMU continued their dominance in possession and pressure, earning early opportunities to once again pull in front. It was Toronto, however, that capitalized on a rebound that the Bold were unable to clean up, jumping ahead in the 57th minute.

From then on the pace and physicality of the match picked up, as the Bold searched for an equalizer. The Bold dominated much of the remaining time, but were unable to break the Toronto defence as time wound down.

They were gifted a late-game advantage, as an innocuous kicked ball by a Toronto forward during a stoppage in play gave her a second yellow card, sending her off for the final five minutes of the match.

"There was a clear picture of what we were trying to achieve," said Bukovec of the Bold's late push.

Then in the 88th minute, TMU capitalized with a last-gasp scramble that led to a goal which barely crossed the line by captain Ivymae Perez, sending the large crowd gathered at Downsview into a frenzy.

"Fighting against a team that's one of the top programs in the OUA and coming off with a tie is definitely a great feeling," said Perez following the match. "This is a great game to build momentum off of."

The result keeps TMU above Toronto in the OUA standings as they travel to Kingston next Saturday to take on the Queen's Gaels.
 
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