X-Women, Varsity Reds play to 1-1 tie

Photo courtesy Jessica Pomeroy
Photo courtesy Jessica Pomeroy

Antigonish, NS - The StFX X-Women (1-0-1) remained unbeaten in early AUS regular season action after playing to a 1-1 tie with the visiting UNB Varsity Reds (0-0-2) Sunday afternoon at Oland Stadium.

The Varsity Reds jumped to a 1-0 lead in the third minute on a marker from midfielder Paige Vincent (Dartmouth, NS), the only goal of the first half.

In the 79th minute, the home side knotted the match on a goal from sophomore midfielder Olivia Czipf (Thunder Bay, ON). After freshman forward Kelsey Ellis (Ottawa, ON) beat a couple of UNB defenders at the top of the box, she made a nifty pass to Czipf, who ripped a shot into the top corner from 25 yards away.

In the 83rd minute, with the X-Women pressing, Ellis got behind the UNB defense, but her high shot sailed just over the crossbar.

In the final minutes, the X-Women took territorial advantage and pressed for the go-ahead goal.

In the 88th minute, StFX freshman midfielder Erica van Wyk (Kanata, ON) got a head on a Margaux Fraser (Mississauga, ON) cross, but the re-direction went over the crossbar.

In the 90th minute, a pair of X-Women players just missed making contact with a sharp left-footed cross from along the goal line by sophomore midfielder Chloe Brennan (Brookside, NS), who was the Subway player of the match for her team.

Emily Burton (Halifax, NS), a freshman fullback, garnered top player honours for the Varsity Reds.

Sophomore goalkeeper Erin Visser (Whitby, ON) made four saves for the X-Women victory, while Rebecca Duda (Halifax, NS) turned aside two shots in the loss.

The Varsity Reds will return to action Saturday, Sept. 19, when they host the Dalhousie Tigers in Fredericton at 1 p.m.

The X-Women will be on the road for their next match, visiting Charlottetown Friday, Sept. 18  to face the UPEI Panthers at 5 p.m.

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