'Mental resilience' shines through as Holland College women's soccer team caps best season yet
The Holland College Hurricanes women's soccer team should be proud of their bronze medal at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association championship after rebounding from a tough loss earlier in the week, coach Jonathan Vos said after the game Saturday in Summerside, P.E.I.
The women defeated the Champlain Cavaliers of Saint-Lambert, Que., 1-0 in the cold wind and rain to claim the bronze in the eight-team tournament. The win capped their most successful season yet.
It was the Hurricanes' fourth game in four days. The bronze-medal match came two days after suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Sainte-Foy Dynamiques that knocked them out of gold-medal contention. It was their only loss of the season out of 16 games.
'Really proud'
"We were able to work through it as a team and rebound and get two more wins after that so they showed a lot of mental resilience to push through that," said head coach Jonathan Vos.
"I have a lot of pride for the girls, really proud of them and their accomplishment and the effort they put in this week. They really earned that medal."
The Holland College Hurricanes defeated the Champlain Cavaliers of Saint-Lambert, Que., 1-0 in the bronze-medal match in Summerside. (Sarah Keaveny-Vos/CBC)
Keanna Ryan was named player of the game for the Hurricanes. Misha Koyari scored in 69th minute for the only goal of the game. There was a big celebration when the final whistle blew.
'It was just jubilation'
"Our coaches got together and had a big hug and moment and then our players were running towards our keeper of the team and it was just jubilation," Vos said.
The Dynamiques and the Seneca Sting of Toronto played for the gold medal. Seneca came out on top.
Hurricanes coach Jonathan Vos, middle, celebrates with his kids and nieces and nephews following the victory on Saturday. (Sarah Keaveny-Vos/CBC)
The University of Kings College, the other Atlantic conference team in the tournament, finished sixth.
Emily Lepine of the Hurricanes was named an All-Canadian.
Vos, the ACAA coach of the year, said the East Coast was well represented.
"This year was a big turning point for our conference in general."
