While there was no precipitation, both teams would face cold temperatures as the 2009 AUS Subway women's soccer championship final kicked off today in Mount Pearl, NL.

StFX seemed to have the edge out of the gate despite coming off of a long overtime win on Saturday. At the ten minute mark, UPEI attacked and third year midfielder Chelsie McInnis (Summerside, PE) took a crossed ball and found the back of net to put the Panthers up early. The rest of the first half saw the majority of the play remain around midfield with little action around either net.

With the start of the second half, the X-Women continued to provide pressure and control most of the play. UPEI all-star keeper Chanelle Roy (Bathurst, NB) faced a couple of direct shots on net, but easily handled the ball to hold the lead for the Panthers.

StFX continued to control the ball in the midfield and at the 77th minute, first team all-star striker Eugenia Renderos (Kentville, NS) delivered a cross to the middle of the box and fourth year midfielder Sarah Mitchell (Dartmouth, NS) stretched to get a foot on the ball, driving it past the UPEI keeper to even the score at 1-1.

The overtime periods saw little action on the keepers, outside of a strike on net by StFX that would find the top of the crossbar, bounce down, but was booted away by the UPEI defense.

The second OT period ended and penalty kicks would decide the 2009 AUS championship.

StFX struck first with Nicole Melong (Pickering, ON) driving a shot past UPEI's Roy. UPEI were unable to find the equalizer on their first attempt. Renderos also found the back of the net putting StFX up 2-0.

2009 AUS scoring leader and Atlantic conference Player of the Year, Tessa Roche (Charlottetown, PE), would not go down without a fight and scored on UPEI's second attempt.

Ana Balbino (Dartmouth, NS) and Shannon Boisvert (Maple Ridge, BC) also added goals for the X-Women to give them a 4-2 margin the first AUS women's soccer championship for the X-Women program in 23 years.

StFX's Sarah Mitchell was named the 2009 Alexander Keith's Championship MVP.

StFX took the long road to the championship, winning three games in three days and will now travel to the University of Toronto as AUS champions to compete at the CIS championship.

The schedule for the CIS women's soccer championship have been announced and the X-Women take on the Queen's Gaels this Thursday in the tournament's opening quarter-final at 11am. The Gaels fell to the York Lions in the OUA final after posting a 13-1-2 record in the regular season.

UPEI will face the defending CIS champion Trinity Western Spartans Thursday at 1:30pm in the second quarterfinal of the day. The Canada West champion Spartans, who claimed the second CIS banner in team history a year ago, are one of only two teams to return from the 2008 tournament, along with the QSSF champion Montreal Carabins.

Recap courtesy of Memorial Sports Information