Provincial win gives Seneca Sting women’s soccer team a spot at the nationals | MyNews | Seneca Students

The Seneca Sting women’s soccer team clinched a provincial victory from defending champs the Humber Hawks on the weekend, clearing the field to advance to the nationals.

The Sting defeated the Hawks 3-1 in the gold medal match on Sunday, Oct. 29.

It’s the first time the women’s team has won the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Championship since 2014.

“Our goal is to medal at the nationals, something we’ve only done once,” Luca Sirianni, Coach, Seneca Sting women’s soccer team, said, noting they earned a bronze there nine years ago.

The 25-member team was strong going into the provincials, he said. They were the top ranked team in OCAA for most of the season, beating nine other teams to win the East Division earlier in October.

At the provincial championship, Rebekah Lee, a central midfielder and a third-year Crime & Intelligence Analysis student, was named the championship’s most valuable player.

Ms. Lee is vital to the team’s defensive organization, Mr. Sirianni said.

“She has been the heartbeat for our team and someone who plays with passion and a desire to win,” Mr. Sirianni said.

Jessica Shears, a forward and a student in the eight-month Advanced Investigations & Enforcement graduate certificate program, and Carley Uddenberg, a defender and a student in the eight-month Mental Health Intervention graduate certificate program, were named championship all-stars.

Separately, Shanice Alfred, a forward and a fourth-year Honours Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation (DTR) student, was named OCAA player of the year and was called up to play for the Guyana national team in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) Gold Cup qualifying round. And Sydnie Street, a forward and a third-year DTR student, was called up to play for Jamaica’s national team in the Concacaf Gold Cup qualifying round.

The Sting will be among the eight teams at the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association’s National Championship, which is being hosted by Holland College in Charlottetown from Wednesday, Nov. 8 to Saturday, Nov. 11.