Laval outlasts Ottawa in PK thriller to advance to national title game
Team Stats
Laval : 10/ Y 6/ Y 14/ N 13/ Y 5/ Y
Laval wins shootout 4 - 3
| Game Statistics | Ottawa | Laval |
|---|---|---|
| Shots (on goal) | 4 (1) | 6 (1) |
| Saves | 1 | 1 |
| Fouls | 11 | 9 |
| Corner Kicks | 4 | 9 |
| Offsides | 3 | 1 |
The No. 2-seeded Laval Rouge et Or are off to the championship game of the 2024 BMO U SPORTS Women's Soccer Championship after they got past the No. 3-seeded Ottawa Gee-Gees 0-0 (4-3) on Saturday at Wickwire Field. The game took more than 19 hours from start to finish, as play began on Friday evening, but was suspended in the second half due to an injury and resumed on Saturday morning.
The match featured a stalemate throughout regulation and two overtime periods, with both teams failing to find the back of the net. Ottawa managed four shots with one on goal, while Laval recorded six shots, also with one on target. Goalkeepers Cassidy Joslin for Ottawa and Anne-Marie Laroche for Laval both delivered impressive performances, each making one save during 120 minutes of play.
The tension carried over to the shootout, where Ottawa got an early edge after a save by Joslin in the third round, only for Laroche to return the favour in the fourth. The pivotal moment came when Ottawa's fifth shot, by Alanna Oriente, went wide of the net, sealing Laval's spot in the championship match.
With this defeat, Ottawa heads to Sunday’s bronze medal match, where they will take on the AUS champion Cape Breton Capers, while Laval improves to 8-3-7 and will face top seeds UBC for the gold medal. The bronze game is set for 12:30 p.m. (Atlantic) on Sunday, with the championship match at 4 p.m.