Back-to-back OCAA silver medals for No. 11 Women’s Soccer

By: Fernando Bossoes
Humber Athletics Communications

NORTH YORK – Four games into the season with a 0-4 record, few would have believed Humber could make it this far. But for the eight-time OCAA champions, led by coach Jose Caro, "quitting" simply is not in the vocabulary. The Hawks rebounded, navigated a challenging playoff path and ended the season, claiming their eighth and second straight OCAA silver medal.

No. 11 Humber (7-6-1) fell to the unbeaten No. 1 Seneca Sting (13-0-1) with a 3-1 loss. Senior player Antonia Gatti was the goalscorer for Humber, striking a stunning volley from outside the 18-yard box.

Match Recap

All eyes were on the 2024 OCAA Women's Soccer Championship gold-medal game, where the No. 11 Humber Hawks faced off against the No. 1 Seneca Sting for the third straight year in the provincial finals. The Hawks were riding a strong postseason momentum, overcoming a shaky season start, while the Sting aimed for a provincial two-peat victory over Humber.

As expected, the top-ranked Sting came out strong, pressing into Humber's defensive zone. Just three minutes into the match, Seneca's Martina Pannia recovered possession in Humber's territory and unloaded a rocket from 30 yards out, sailing just over Angela Volpe's reach and into the net for an early lead.

Following the early tally, Seneca took control of the game's tempo, controlling ball possession and creating multiple opportunities to extend their lead. The Hawks continued to push on the left flank with Kaylese Callender and Kaitlynn Russell but found it difficult to break into Seneca's back line.

A corner kick for the Sting at the 35-minute mark piled on more challenges for Humber. The ball bounced around the penalty area before Seneca crossed it back in. Humber's defence tried to clear, but it fell to Francesca Famele, who hammered with her left foot into the bottom-right corner of the net, doubling the lead.

Despite trailing by two, the Hawks did not slow down. At 40 minutes, senior player Antonia Gatti struck a stunning volley from outside the 18-yard box, pulling the gap within striking distance and energizing Humber just before the break.

After halftime, Seneca did not rest on their one-goal advantage, quickly increasing their lead early in the second half. Just one minute in, Alexis Cordeiro delivered a line-breaking pass to Marlene Siwula, who beat the keeper in a one-on-one situation.

The No. 11 Humber battled until the final whistle but were unable to generate any significant scoring opportunities, capturing the OCAA silver medal for the second consecutive year after falling to the No. 1 Seneca Sting, 3-1.

Player of the Game

Kaitlynn Russell

Tournament All-Stars

Doreen Anane-Bediakoh
Hayley Lewis 

Humber Highlights

• Humber grasps a 7-5-2 all-time record against Seneca.
• The Hawks now hold a 6-4 postseason record against the Sting.
• Humber has an 8-8 record in the OCAA Championship match.
• Humber finishes the season with a 3-2-1 record against nationally ranked teams this season.
• The Hawks finish their season with a medal for the eighth straight season.
• This was Antonia Gatti's second career goal in the OCAA postseason.