TORONTO – The question from interim head coach John Yacou to his team this fall has been clear:

"Can we be better than what we were before?" 

No matter the outcome, no matter the circumstances, and regardless of which of his players may or may not be playing at their best, a collective attempt at answering his message has helped elevate the program to unprecedented heights and collect more wins for the program in 2024 than in the last two years combined.

In his eyes, a determined week of training, specifically one of relevance leading up to his team's final weekend of the regular season, helped the Bold answer this question with ease. 

A split at home against the Laurentian Voyageurs and Nipissing Lakers awarded the Bold the fourth seed in the OUA playoffs - their best-ever placement in October - and left the group with the same amount of wins (7) as they did when setting the program's seasonal record in 2017. 

"When [practices] are positive, when the girls are having fun and the energy is high, we usually come out on the weekend a bit more lively," said Yacou. 

Now just days away from playing in the program's first-ever playoff game at Downsview Park, Yacou's training sessions building up to Saturday's rivalry clash with the University of Toronto (U of T) Varsity Blues have delivered on the intangibles that have made the Bold a threat to their opposition all year long. 

The group feels loose, excited, and anticipates a battle with their city rival to be unlike any other matchup throughout the regular season. The only area of their upcoming clash that the Bold wish to remain the same from the regular season however, rests in the 2-1 scoreline that secured TMU their first-ever win at Varsity Stadium in September. 

"[Beating U of T], It felt like it was going to be a special season," said Yacou. "I think the group has come together very well since then. Those types of wins help with these types of moments."

Fourth-year midfielder Emily Di Natale views the Bold as two different entities since starting the season in August and is not at all surprised by the success that has come the Bold's way with historic wins against U of T and the Carleton Ravens in 2024. 

Beating the Varsity Blues for a second - and more important - time this season is a test the graduating senior feels the Bold are ready to pass when the opportunity presents itself in the comfort of their own home on Saturday. 

"Playing your playoff game at the field that you train at every single day for the last three months is very advantageous," said Di Natalie.

"This is the field that we're used to, the field we have success on. This is our changeroom. This is our place."

With an impressive 4-2 record at Downsview Park this season, Di Natale and the rest of the Bold look to play to the team's strengths to help mold the outcome on the pitch. Given the physical nature of the rivalry between the two squads, the path forward for the Bold rests heavily in their strength between the ears. 

"In order to have success, we have to out-battle them. It's going to be about who wants it more and who is willing to push when you can't push anything else," said Di Natale. 

The Bold have been defined by success in 2024 and anticipate that narrative to remain consistent as they gear up for a playoff run stretching well beyond Saturday's 2 p.m. kickoff with the Varsity Blues. 

Being better than they were before has held true for the Bold at every juncture this season and will be in even greater demand when they kick off their postseason this weekend. 

"If we continue to persevere, be determined and continue to show up to games, we can make something happen that no one is expecting."