Matt Dionne | Sports and Health Editor
Featured image: The Lions, lead by reigning CIS player-of-the-year Nour Ghoneim, shut-out Laurier 2-0. | Anil Beharry
York’s women’s soccer team beat Laurier 2-0 on Saturday to remain unbeaten this season.
After overcoming Algoma by an average point differential of +9.5, the Lions faced a much tougher Laurier squad on Saturday.
Christina Morelli opened the scoring with her fourth goal of the season during the 17th minute, assisted by Sia Papadopoulos.
Laurier nearly tied the score late in the first half, but York’s keeper, Taylor Grant, made a fantastic save to preserve the lead. Laurier managed five shots on goal, only a third of York’s 15, but Grant saved all of them to keep the Lions season shut-out going.
That was all for the first half, as York took a 1-0 lead into the break. Then, in the 63rd minute, Nour Ghoneim scored her seventh goal of the season, assisted by Dina Ricco, to give the Lions some insurance.
Despite the win, reigning Canadian Interuniversity Sport player of the year and York athlete of the week Ghoneim felt her team’s play could have been better.
“From our standard, I thought our play was mediocre,” says Ghoneim. “But it’s good that it was like that because it’s the beginning of the season, and we’re starting off strong if you look at the stats.
“We have so much time to improve. And we will improve; we’re not going to plateau. It’s exciting that we’re getting such good results with a slow start.”
Ghoneim feels the team will continue to improve as they develop more chemistry. “We’re such a new team, and last Saturday was the first time, for many of us, to play together in an official game. Even during the pre-season not everyone was playing,” says Ghoneim.
She believes the team will build on last season’s semi-final loss to Ottawa. “We’re going to go to nationals — and we’re not just going to go, we’re going to compete.”
The Lions play McMaster next, on Wednesday night. “Mac is always a tough team. They’re a transition team, meaning they play off of our mistakes, so if we play quick, get our movement right, and continue to build on our chemistry, it’s going to be tough, but it’s doable,” Ghoneim says.
York is currently second in the Ontario University Athletics West Division with a 3-0 record, while McMaster is in seventh with a record of 0-1-2.
The women will be in Hamilton Wednesday night, but are back at home Thursday to face the cellar-dwelling Waterloo Warriors starting at 6 p.m.
