Preview: 2019 U SPORTS Men's Soccer Championship presented by La Cage – Brasserie Sportive
Carabins look for repeat, second national title on home field
TORONTO (U SPORTS) – One year after their first national title in school history, the Montreal Carabins look to keep possession of the Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy when the 2019 U SPORTS Men's Soccer Championship Presented by La Cage – Brasserie Sportive opens later this week.
The Carabins head into the tournament hoping to capture their second straight U SPORTS banner but this time in front of their home fans.
Full draw results, a championship schedule and team-by-team previews are available below.
The 2019 U SPORTS Men's Soccer Championship Presented by La Cage – Brasserie Sportive kicks off on Thursday at CEPSUM and concludes next Sunday with the gold medal game at 2:30 p.m. ET / 11:30 a.m. PT. Livestreaming is available on USPORTS.LIVE.
TEAM PROFILES
|
Team |
Playoff Finish |
Records (Regular Season / Playoffs) |
Last / Total Titles |
Team Offence (Goals/Game) |
Team Defence (Goals Against/game) |
|
Carleton |
OUA Champions |
13-1-0 / 3-0 |
Never |
2.71 |
0.43 |
|
Cape Breton |
AUS Champions |
10-0-2 / 2-0 |
2017 / 1 |
2.92 |
0.75 |
|
Montreal |
RSEQ Champions / Host |
9-1-2 / 2-0 |
2018 / 1 |
2.58 |
1.00 |
|
UBC |
CW Champions |
10-2-3 / 3-0 |
2013 / 13 |
2.33 |
0.93 |
|
UQTR |
RSEQ Finalists |
10-2-0 / 1-1 |
Never |
2.42 |
0.92 |
|
York |
OUA Finalists |
11-0-3 / 2-1 |
5 / 2015 |
3.14 |
0.36 |
|
Calgary |
CW Finalists |
7-6-1 / 2-1 |
Never |
1.43 |
1.79 |
|
StFX |
AUS Finalists |
9-2-1 / 1-1 |
Never |
2.58 |
1.00 |
TEAM LEADERS
|
Team |
Points |
Goals |
Assists |
Starting Goaltender (Stats) |
|
Carleton |
Gabriel Bitar & Stefan Karajovanovic, 8 |
Stefan Karajovanovic, 8 |
Gabriel Bitar & Kevin Kaba Kalonji, 2 |
Nick Jeffs (10-1-0, 0.48 GAA, .808 SV% |
|
Cape Breton |
Charlie Waters, 16 |
Charlie Waters, 10 |
Charlie Waters, 6 |
Ben Jackson 6-0-1 / 1.00 GAA, 0.632 SV% |
|
Montreal |
Guy-Frank Essomé Penda, 10 |
Guy-Frank Essomé Penda, 7 |
Guy-Frank Essomé Penda, 7 |
Félix Goulet 8-1-2, 0.73 GAA |
|
UBC |
Victory Shumbusho, 10 |
Victory Shumbusho, 10 |
Jordan Haynes, 8 |
Jason Roberts 9-2-3, 1.00 GAA, .702 SV% |
|
UQTR |
Maxime Boucher, 10 |
Félix Bouchard, 8 |
Maxime Boucher, 10 |
Félix Clapin-Girard 10-1-0, 0.74 GAA |
|
York |
Merci Yuma, 12 |
Christopher Jacovou & Merci Yuma, 8 |
Merci Yuma, 4 |
Mike Argyrides 11-0-3, 0.34 GAA, .902 SV% |
|
Calgary |
Erik Kobza, 6 |
Derek Brust & Dominic Zuczek, 5 |
Eryk Kobza, 4 |
Jake Ruschkowski 7-6-1, 1.79 GAA, .752 SV% |
|
StFX |
Dan Hayfield, 19 |
Dan Hayfield, 11 |
Dan Hayfield, 8 |
Seamus MacDonald 7-2-1 / 1.10 GAA, .750 SV% |
Carleton Ravens
OUA Champions
The Ravens were a force in the East this season, registering a 13-1-0 record thanks in part to leading the OUA East in goals scored and fewest conceded. Carleton's lone setback came in a 3-1 road loss to Ryerson back on October 12, but the 2018 OUA silver-medalist and U SPORTS bronze medalist rebounded by outscoring opponents 10-1 in the last three matches of the season before routing Ontario Tech 5-2 in the quarterfinal round.
Third-year striker Stefan Karajovanovic was the inspiration in that decisive playoff win last week with a first-half hat-trick that ensured the Ravens would advance. The Gatineau, Que. native paced all Ravens with eight goals this season. Karajovanovic and 2018 OUA East MVP Dario Conte, a third-year midfielder from Ottawa, Ont., should be a handful for the rest of the field.
Cape Breton Capers
AUS Champions
The six-time AUS champion Capers finished first in the regular season standings and also ranked inside the Top 3 nationally all season long. They finished the regular season ranked No. 2.
The Capers were led by two-time AUS MVP and captain Peter Schaale, who returned in fine form after spending the offseason with the Canadian Premier League's HFX Wanderers. Charlie Waters scored 10 goals to finish second in the conference. Schaale and Cory Bent were named AUS First Team All-stars. Waters, Caelan Budhoo and Marcus Campanile were named Second Team AUS All-stars.
Statistically, the Capers led the conference in scoring with 39 goals for, while only allowing nine and will look to qualify for their third straight national final.
Montreal Carabins
RSEQ Champions
Entering the season, the Carabins had one goal: Winning a second consecutive U SPORTS championship, this time in front of their home fans,
Pat Raimondo's side had an excellent regular season, going 9-1-2 to finish second in the RSEQ.
Despite the loss of several key players, including Frédéric Lajoie-Gravelle was named Championship MVP last year, the Carabins were able to redeem themselves and continue their momentum from 2018.
In the semifinals, Montreal defeated the Laval Rouge et Or easily by a score of 3-0, before beating UQTR 2-0 to clinch the conference title.
Once at the U SPORTS Championship, the support of the crowd will be a major asset for the Carabins who will aim for nothing but the Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy.
UBC Thunderbirds
CW Champions
After winning the 19th Canada West title in program history and capturing the championship trophy for a sixth time this decade, the T-Birds haven't missed a beat in 2019, posting a conference-best 10-2-3 record during the regular season.
UBC was Canada West's highest-scoring team, registering 35 goals, and T-Birds forward Victory Shumbusho's 10 goals were the most by any player in the conference.
UQTR Patriotes
RSEQ Finalists
York Lions
OUA Finalists
The York Lions continued their run of dominance in 2019 with another undefeated season and their 13th straight first-place finish in the OUA West Division. They went 11-0-3 and boasted the nation's best goal differential (+39), topping the next best team by seven goals while scoring more (44) and allowing fewer (five) than every other team. Among their 14 regular-season games, 12 of them were clean sheets.
The Lions finished the regular season with a 50-game unbeaten streak against OUA opponents dating back to the start of the 2017 season and added another two in the playoffs after a 4-1 win over McMaster in the quarter-finals and a 2-0 triumph over Toronto in the semis.
The unbeaten streak, as well as their bid for a third straight OUA banner and sixth in the last seven years, was halted in the OUA final after a 3-0 loss to Carleton. The Lions settled for OUA silver, the 10th straight year they've finished on the podium.
Calgary Dinos
CW Finalists
The Dinos went 7-6-1 in the regular season to finish in third place in the CW Praire Division. Goalkeeper Jake Ruschkowski was stellar throughout the campaign, ranking second in the conference with 76 saves and was heroic in stopping all 10 shots he faced in a 1-0 victory as the Dinos notched their first win over playoff nemesis Trinity Western since 2006.
The historic campaign wasn't finished for the Dinos, who went on to defeat crosstown rival Mount Royal 2-1 in the semifinal to qualify for their first-ever U SPORTS championship.
StFX X-Men
AUS Finalists
The StFX X-Men enter the 2019 U SPORTS championship as Atlantic University Sport (AUS) finalists, returning to the championship for the first time since 1997. The X-Men finished second overall in AUS regular season play with a 9-2-1 record. They were third in the conference in goals scored (31) and second in goals per game (2.58), while allowing the second fewest goals against in the league (12) and goals against average (1.00).
The X-Men were led this season by three AUS first team all-stars, including fifth year veteran striker Dan Hayfield who led the conference in points (19) and goals (11). Fellow senior striker Tane Caubo was also a first team conference all-star, as was defender Josh Read for the third consecutive year. Second year defender Jack Kennedy was named an AUS second team all-star.
Head coach Graham Kennedy is in his 11th season at the helm of the X-Men, as well as leading the X-Women program for the past seven years.
CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Nov. 6
All-Canadian Awards Gala, 9:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. PT
Thursday, Nov. 7 (Quarterfinals)
Carleton vs. StFX, 10 a.m. ET / 7 a.m. PT
UBC vs. UQTR, 12:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 a.m. PT
Cape Breton vs. Calgary, 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT
Montreal vs. York, 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
All games livestreamed at USPORTS.LIVE