KINGSTON, Ont. – The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women's soccer team played to a 1-1 draw against the No. 10 nationally ranked Queen's Gaels.
Back in action since their home-opener victory against the Nipissing Lakers, the Bold travelled to Richardson Stadium with determination to keep the positive momentum going.
It was the Gaels who struck first. Though
Elisa Paolucci made a quick save in the very first minute to keep things level, the Gaels were able to catch the Bold off guard early on. Three minutes in, Queen's was able to get one past Paolucci, setting the tone for a one-sided start.
Despite the rocky start, the Bold did not allow the Gaels to take a larger lead in the opening half.
The Bold executed a great defensive play on a Gaels corner kick. As the ball came into play, TMU pulled up its backline as a synchronized unit, trapping Queen's behind the last defender and forcing the whistle to be blown for offside.
TMU continued to stave off Queen's pressure, anchored by critical saves from Paolucci.
Isabella Langeli took a chance with a long-range strike attempt, but sent the ball high. As the first half drew to a close, TMU pushed higher up the pitch to keep the ball away from their end, but struggled to generate scoring chances.
The halftime score saw the Gaels leading 1-0.
The Bold cracked the code early in the second half, just 30 seconds after the restart.
In the 45th minute,
Becca Bartosh seized possession of the ball, drove forward and struck from the edge of the penalty box, burying it past the Gaels' goalkeeper. Bartosh has been on a tear this season, scoring in all three matches played and accounting for three of the team's four goals on the season.
TMU came out with a different look in the second half, playing with more confidence and intent up and down the pitch.
Defensively, Paolucci remained a fortress in net, making a brilliant diving save to keep Queen's at bay. The Bold kept pressing forward to neutralize the Gaels' attack, holding firm until the final whistle to secure the draw.
Next up, the Bold return home to face the Trent Excalibur on Saturday, Sept. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Students can attend for free with their OneCard.
