The St. Thomas men’s soccer team battled their hearts out Saturday and Sunday but missed the 4th and final playoff spot by two points.
The men lost to MSVU 2-1 on Saturday with Thomas Stubbs scoring the lone goal for STU off a header. Jude Peteella and Matt Little scored the goals for MSVU. The loss made the Tommies miss the playoffs for the first time in two seasons.
Andrew Robichaud received two yellow cards in the 1st half for dissent and an illegal tackle forcing the Tommies to play a man short for the rest of the game.
“The red card changed the game a little bit,” said Tommies head coach Darren Cann. “When you’re a man short in an important area of the field like the centre mid position it’s hard.”
The Tommies headed into Sunday against Kings College playing for pride and they came out on top 2-1.
Daniel Steeves opened the scoring off a tremendous scissors kick that hit the crossbar and went in. Aiden Klassen would knot it at 1-1 early in the second half for UKC but David Jamael would seal the deal for STU with a 35 yard laser that went top corner.
Heads would clash in the second half when Tommies player Alex Schaefers was hammered by UKC’s Ninoslav Kovacevic, who was ejected for a serious foul play. Shoving pursued with STU’s Adam Kileel getting sent off for violent conduct in the shoving match.
Schaefers was escorted off in an ambulance at the end of the game and suffered a minor concussion.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything more. The guys they left it all on the field,” said Cann. “We just came up short and it’s unfortunate.”
Cann has only missed the playoffs twice in his 10 season’s coaching the team. The Tommies finished the season in 5th place, after winning three games, losing four, and drawing three for a total of 12 points.
Fourth year player Dylan Hughes played his last game for the Tommies. “I’m at a loss for words on how much I’m going to miss this program,” he said. “The season goes by so quick. I’ve met some phenomenal people and had some amazing coaches along the way and I’m very thankful for that.”
