No. 1 Men’s Soccer heading to CCAA title match
By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications
FREDERICTON, N.B. – No. 1 Humber men's soccer stands just one step away from national glory. Following a dominant semifinal performance against the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) champions, No. 2 NAIT Ooks, the Hawks press on in their quest for a historic tenth national gold medal. Humber now prepares to face the No. 11 Algonquin Wolves, OCAA silver medalists, on Saturday, Nov. 9. Jacob Ball had another fantastic performance, leading the Hawks with a brace. Rookie Marcus Riviere scored the third tally, assisted by Damion Kaye, who moves into third place in Hawks' history with ten CCAA points.
Match Recap
This semifinal clash was poised to be the Hawks' most crucial — and challenging — match of the season. Coming off a commanding 3-0 quarterfinal victory over the UKC Blue Devils, Humber was now just 90 minutes away from the final, with the top-two team in the nation, the NAIT Ooks, standing in their path. The Ooks had dominated the ACAC with a strong 9-1-2 record, clinching the championship with two overtime goals against the No. 6 Keyano Huskies. In the CCAA tournament, NAIT had secured their semifinal spot with a lone goal from forward Jameson Kiezik against the Les Rouges the Saint-Boniface. The stage was set for a high-stakes battle between the two best collegiate teams in the country, each aiming for a spot in the gold medal match.
The match started with both teams feeling each other out, each playing conservative soccer to avoid conceding an early goal. At 10 minutes, the Hawks broke the deadlock. After a mispositioning by NAIT's goalkeeper Ethan Hrushka, Jason Alvorado intercepted the ball in the midfield, allowing Christian Keshishian to deliver a brilliant pass over the Ooks' back line to Jacob Ball inside the penalty box. In a one-on-one with the keeper, Ball made no mistake, slotting it into the back of the net, opening the scoring for Humber.
After 20 minutes of contested play in NAIT's territory, with the Ooks struggling to create any offence, the Hawks increased the pressure on the Edmonton team. At the 34-minute mark, Luca Pinto crossed into the 18-yard box, where the NAIT's defence failed to clear it, leaving the ball to Marcus Riviere. Riviere wisely sprung Ball, who deftly beat the keeper, watching as the ball rolled over the goal line for a brace.
Humber did not slow down after the second tally, continuing to step on the gas. Just six minutes later, Riviere connected with Damion Kaye, who maneuvered around three defenders and skillfully found a gap to execute a one-two play and return the ball to Riviere. He hammered into the top right corner, making it 3-0 for the Hawks.
Despite heading into the second half having to climb a 3-0 mountain, the Ooks surprisingly did not go all-in with high pressure in Humber's territory. Instead, the Hawks continued to control possession and had several opportunities to extend their lead.
As the referee raised his hand and blew the final whistle, the 3-0 victory secured the top-ranked Humber Hawks a spot in their 11th CCAA title match.
Jacob Ball was named the Player of the Match, presented by 4imprint Canada.
Humber Highlights
- The Hawks improve to 3-2 all-time against NAIT.
- Humber is now 11-3 all-time against the ACAC.
- The Hawks improve to an 11-4 all-time record in the CCAA semifinals.
- Coach Michael Aquino improves to a 22-2 all-time record at the big dance.
- Humber improves to 5-0-1 against nationally ranked teams this season.
- The Hawks extend their win streak to nine straight at nationals.
- Damion Kaye moves into a tie for third at Humber with ten CCAA postseason points (four goals, two assists).
What's Next?
The Hawks continue their quest for gold on Saturday, Nov. 9, as they compete for their tenth CCAA title against a familiar team, the No. 11 Algonquin Wolves, OCAA silver medalists. The match is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET.
