It would have been a perfect finish to their home season, but with the circumstances the Nipissing Lakers men’s soccer team was facing, a draw is a successful day.
After earning three points Saturday in a win over UOIT, the Lakers had a chance at a six point weekend which would have boosted their chances to make the playoffs, but instead, a game full of cards had Nipissing finish down a man versus the Trent Excalibur.
A questionable red card just before half time saw the Lakers play 45 minutes shorthanded, but thanks to a late goal, they came away with a 3-3 draw.
Trent was on the right end of a few bounces early in the game and led 1-0 after a free kick found its way into the net just 12 minutes into the game.
Lakers captain, Jean-Michel Paulin, who was honoured before the game, tied the game in the 28th minute on a great run after taking a pass from William Tsilkas.
Just before half time, Trent retook the lead, sending the home town Lakers into the dressing room down 2-1.
It didn’t take long, however, for Nipissing to draw even once again as Jamal Brown finished off a pretty play. Mathieu Simard sent a gorgeous cross to the far post where Brown was streaking towards and timed his jump perfectly, firing the ball to the back of the net.
Already down a player, the Lakers trailed for the third time in the game, and this time late. The Excalibur took the lead with just five minutes remaining in the game and the thoughts of points were sleeping away from Nipissing.
With less than two minutes to go, Connor Speers fired a free-kick from close to midfield to the back of the net to tie the game once again.
Speers’ goal would cap the offence in the game and send the teams home with a point each.
Currently, the Lakers sit in fifth place with a 4-2-6 record and are on a streak of eight games without a loss (3-0-5). They sit two points up on UOIT and three points behind Queens.
Nipissing is on the road the next two weekends to close out the season, facing Ryerson (8-1-2) and Toronto (8-3-1) next.
Women's Soccer
The Nipissing Lakers women’s soccer team gave their home fans one more thing to cheer about Sunday afternoon, finishing off the home portion of the season with a 3-1 win.
After a 0-0 draw Saturday versus UOIT, the Lakers welcomed the Trent Excalibur to town and made sure they secured three points by controlling the game from start to finish and picking up the win.
Nipissing got things going pretty early in the game, setting the tone with a goal by Delaney Borsato to put them up 1-0 in the 14th minute.
Trent responded fairly quickly, tying the game less than 10 minutes later on a questionable call that resulted in a penalty kick.
At the other end of the pitch, the official awarded another penalty kick, this time to the Lakers and Selena Innamorati made no mistake to regain the lead for Nipissing.
The game remained 2-1 heading into the half, but once again, a quick goal – just 12 minutes into the second half – the Lakers extended their lead.
Veteran Katie Koenjer rifled a shot to the top shelf to give the Lakers a two goal cushion. They locked things down from there and came away with a key three points.
Carlee Bennard played 75 minutes, picking up the win, while Kelly Dunk closed things out for the final 15 minutes.
With the win, the Lakers moved closer to a playoff spot, sitting just one point behind Toronto for sixth place in the East Division.
Nipissing (5-4-3) will now finish the season on the road, playing four more away from home beginning with a trip to Toronto next weekend to face Ryerson (3-7-2) and Toronto (6-5-1).
