X-Women top Varsity Reds 2-1, advance to Friday's semifinals

(SYDNEY, N.S.) - The 2016 Subway AUS Women's Soccer Championship second quarterfinal of the night pitted the No. 4-seeded St. Francis Xavier X-Women against the No. 5 UNB Varsity Reds late Thursday night at CBU Field.

The game featured some great defensive tactics and limited scoring chances.

The X-Women got on the board first in the 16th minute with a UNB own goal. In a scramble in front of the UNB goal a defender misplayed the ball backwards deflecting it into her own net.

The teams then played the rest of the first half largely in the midfield with both teams failing to create and quality chances. The X-Women took a 1-0 into the dressing room.

The second half saw the X-Women start to apply pressure on the Varsity Reds defence, resulting in lots of shots on goal.

AUS second team all-star Sami Jo Bell (East Dover, N.S.) was forced to make many saves to keep her team in the game.

StFX midfielder Margaux Fraser (Mississauga, Ont.) finally broke through with a top corner strike in the 72th minute to make it 2-0. 

UNB was awarded a penalty in the 76th and Lauren Cubbon scored to bring UNB within one.

StFX was able to hang on for the win despite a last-second play in the box by the Varsity Reds.

Mercy Miles (Accra, Ghana) earned the Subway Player of the Game for the X-Women. Fourth-year fullback Laura McNicholas was awarded player of the game for UNB.

With the victory, StFX now advances to face the top-seeded and host Cape Breton Capers in the first semi-final game on Friday at 5 p.m.

Recap and photo courtesy of CBU Athletics