Preview: 2021 Subway AUS Men's Soccer Championships

(SYDNEY, N.S) This weekend, Cape Breton University plays host to the 2021 Subway AUS Soccer Championships, with the top six men’s and women’s teams competing for their respective AUS titles from November 4 to November 7.

The championship schedule kicks off on Thursday morning with the women’s quarterfinals, but here’s what you can expect from match-ups on the men’s side.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 4

QF#1: UPEI Panthers (5^th) vs. SMU Huskies (4^th)
The fifth-seeded UPEI Panthers (5-3-4) will face off against the number four seed SMU Huskies (6-3-3) at 2 p.m.

The Panthers will look to second team AUS all-star Nathan Chow (Campbell River, B.C.) to lead the way through their quarterfinal. The second-year midfielder, who started in all 12 UPEI regular-season outings, had two goals and two assists pre-playoffs.

The Huskies will be anchored by fourth-year midfielder and first team all-star Cian Tousignant-O’Siadhail (Timberlea, N.S.), who had four goals and two assists in the regular season. Fellow Saint Mary’s all-stars Sumit Malik (Dartmouth, N.S.) and Sean Freeman (Halifax, N.S.) will also be key performers. Malik finished the regular season with four goals and three assists while Freeman—a first-year striker—recorded seven goals and five assists.

UPEI and Saint Mary’s met twice in the regular season with both matches resulting in draws (1-1, 1-1). Needless to say, this one could be tight.

QF#2: Memorial Sea-Hawks (6^th) vs. UNB Reds (3^rd)
The number six seed Memorial Sea-Hawks (5-4-3) will face the third-place UNB Reds (7-4-1) in the second quarterfinal match-up of the men’s AUS championship, set to get underway at 7 p.m.

First team all-star and standout striker Emmanuel Dolo (St. John’s, NL) will lead the charge for the Sea-Hawks team, who finished second overall in AUS scoring with 28 goals. Dolo also finished the regular season second in AUS scoring, with 11 goals, and is second in both the AUS and U SPORTS in points, with 18. He also led U SPORTS in shots taken, with 52.

Second team all-star and striker Jacob Grant (St. John’s, NL) contributed five goals and two assists to the Sea-Hawks' regular-season efforts. Memorial’s defense will be anchored by second team all-star Harry Carter (St. John’s, NL).  AUS coach of the year Jack Stanford will guide the Memorial team, who are making their first AUS championship appearance since 2017.

UNB’s first team all-star striker Grant Takacs (Woodstock, ON) could play a key role for the Reds. A fourth-year player, Takacs had six goals and two assists in the regular season. Other Reds players to watch will be second team all-star defnder Tom Pheulpin (San Antonio, TX), who recorded five goals and three assists, and second team all-star midfielder Mathew Quigley (Chester Basin, N.S.).

In the two regular-season meetings between these teams, Memorial came out on top (3-1 and 3-2).

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5

SF#1: StFX X-Men (1st) vs. winner of QF #1
The U SPORTS no. 10-ranked StFX X-Men posted a 9-2-1 regular-season record and come into the championship as the top seed. They’ll take on the winner of Thursday’s quarterfinal between the UPEI Panthers and Saint Mary’s Huskies at 2 p.m.

The StFX defense will count on first team all-star keeper Seamus MacDonald (Antigonish, N.S.)— who recorded six shut-outs and 46 saves in the regular season—along with fellow all-star defenders Josh Read (Bath, UK) and Lewis Dye (Fall River, N.S.). StFX boasted a .75 goals-against average in 2021.

First team midfielders Nick Aquino (Dartmouth, N.S.) and Kyle Cordeiro (Oakville, ON) will also be key contributors for the X-Men; Aquino had two goals and one assist in the regular season while Cordeiro scored four goals. 

This season, StFX defeated UPEI once (2-1) and split their two games against the Huskies (2-1 and 0-1).

SF#2: Cape Breton Capers (2^nd ) vs. winner of QF #2
The U SPORTS no. 1-ranked Cape Breton Capers will face off against the winner of Thursday’s second quarterfinal, between Memorial and UNB, at 7 p.m. The host Capers finished second in the AUS conference standings and are four-time AUS defending champions and the 2017 U SPORTS national champions.

With a roster full of players to watch, AUS MVP and first team all-star Charlie Waters should be a standout player for the Capers. A third-year striker, Waters led the AUS and U SPORTS in assists (18) and points (20) in the regular season. Fellow striker and first team all-star Kairo Coore, who led the AUS and U SPORTS in goals (15), will help anchor Cape Breton’s offense.

Fans can also expect impact from midfielder and second team all-star Raine Lyn. The Capers defense boasts two first team all-stars—forth-year defender Euan Bauld and AUS rookie of the year Jose Maria Ribeiro de Cunha. In the regular season, the Capers led the AUS in shutouts (seven) and recorded a .67 goals-against-average.

In past head-to-heads, Cape Breton has tied against Memorial (0-0) and lost to UNB’s Reds (2-4).

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7

Championship Final: SF#1 Winner vs. SF#2 winner
On Sunday at 4 p.m., the winners of Friday’s two semifinal matchups will take to the turf for the 2021 AUS men’s soccer championship. Both teams playing in the final will receive berths at the U SPORTS national championship, which will be hosted by Carleton University in Ottawa, November 18-21.

Cape Breton’s Capers, who have won the last four consecutive banners, will be looking to defend their title while the first-ranked StFX X-Men will be hungry for their first conference win since 1994.

UNB’s Reds won a three-peat from 2013-2015 and the Saint Mary Huskies were back-to-back champs in 2010 and 2011. UPEI’s Panthers last took an AUS men's soccer banner home to the island in 2002.

All games of the championship will be available via webcast, live at www.AUStv.ca.