No. 5 Women's Soccer returns to OCAA mountaintop

By: Stefan Gerardi
Humber Athletics Communications

OSHAWA – No. 5 Humber women's soccer captured the OCAA championship Sunday afternoon, defeating the No. 2 Seneca Sting, 2-0. The Hawks scored quickly to begin each half, and their shutdown defence and goalkeeping stopped Seneca from potting any goals. Chantel Spalla and Kaitlynn Russell's tallies led the Hawks' golden effort and put Humber on top of Ontario collegiate soccer for the first time in a decade. 

Match Recap

The Hawks knew they would be in store for their toughest clash of the 2022 campaign against the second-ranked team in the country, the Seneca Sting. During the regular season, the Sting topped the OCAA posting a perfect 10-0-0 record. Humber knew their gold medal dreams were at stake and the fierce aura of their opponent did not get to their head as they took an early lead. 

As the game kicked off, Seneca controlled possession and Hawks goalkeeper Isabella Bernardi had to be on top of her game, making two saves in the first seven minutes of the match. In the 11th minute, the Hawks flipped the script and jumped ahead to a 1-0 lead off the head of Chantel Spalla. The Mississauga native came flying into the six-yard box after an Antonia Gatti corner kick and capitalized on a header for her third of the postseason. 

The Sting pushed hard offensively to find the equalizing marker to no avail, and the first half concluded with the Hawks ahead by a goal. Seneca outplayed the Hawks on the offensive end, but Humber's Bernardi made five saves and shut the door on the Sting's chances. 

The Hawks had three shot attempts in the half, with two coming on target. Humber also had two corner opportunities in the first half, with one leading to the go-ahead tally. Although Seneca posted more shots, the Hawks and their bench boss, Jose Caro, were thrilled to take the lead into the final 45 minutes of play in their first OCAA final since 2018. 

The Sting came out of the halftime break flying, putting immense pressure on the Hawks' defence, looking to knot the game at one. Nonetheless, that didn't faze Humber from pouncing on whatever opportunity came their way, and captain Kaitlynn Russell found the back of the net in the 54th minute. The Hawks' 2022 leading goal scorer curled a missile into the right side of the target, doubling Humber's lead to a 2-0 advantage. 

As the final minutes of the match approached, the Hawks began to slow things down and defend tenaciously, frustrating the Sting's offence. Seneca could get nothing going, and as the match referee's whistle blew to end the contest, Humber stormed the pitch to celebrate as they were crowned provincial champions for the eighth time in program history. 

Isabella Bernardi was dialled in, making six saves and recording her third clean sheet of the postseason. Chantel Spalla was named player of the game as she scored the championship-winning tally for the Hawks. 

Four postseason tallies from Kaitlynn Russell saw her named the tournament MVP, while Kiara Puntillo and Elisa Oliveira were named to the all-tournament team.

Humber Highlights

• The Hawks captured their eighth OCAA championship in program history - the first since 2012.
• Head coach Jose Caro became the first coach in program history to capture a provincial title in their first season at the helm.
• Kaitlynn Russell's seven career postseason tallies tie her for sixth all-time at Humber.
• The Hawks have now medalled in six straight seasons dating back to 2016.
• Humber's men's and women's soccer teams have won OCAA gold in the same year for the sixth time in school history.
• The Hawks' all-time record against Seneca now stands at 7-3-2, with a postseason record of 6-2. This was their first matchup against the Sting in the OCAA finals. 

What's next?

No. 5 Humber will take its talents to the CCAA championship tournament hosted by Champlain Saint-Lambert. The Hawks will be matched up against the top teams in Canadian collegiate soccer and will look for their first national championship in program history as the four-day tournament kicks off on Nov. 9.