Memorial defeats Dalhousie 2-1 (4-3) in penalty kicks

By Corey LeBlanc

(SYDNEY, N.S.) In dramatic fashion, the fourth-seeded Memorial Sea-Hawks defeated the top-seeded Dalhousie Tigers 2-1 (4-3) in penalty kicks in semifinal action Friday afternoon at the 2025 Bell AUS Women's Soccer Championship, presented by Protocase, at Ness Timmons Field on the Cape Breton University campus.

With the victory, the Sea-Hawks will play for a conference banner Sunday afternoon versus either the third-seeded CBU CAPERS or second-seeded UNB REDS.

Zoe Rowe (Conception Bay South, N.L.), Jen Milligan (Strathroy, Ont.), Trinity Coito (Whitby, Ont.) and Claire Langille (Windsor Junction, N.S.) – with the clincher – tallied for the Sea-Hawks, while Megan Chiasson (Lower Sackville, N.S.), Niamh Martin-Manuel (Bedford, N.S.) and Elise Evans (Toronto, Ont.) found the back of the net for the Tigers.

Dalhousie jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third minute on a goal from Martin-Manuel, who headed in a corner kick from Arianna Rushenas (Toronto, Ont.).

Leana Claude (Grenchen, Solothurn) – the Boston Pizza Player of the Match – made two saves on penalty kicks, while Julia Simons (Calgary, Alta.), who subbed in at the end of overtime, made one stop.

Dalhousie carried the play for most of the opening half, but they could not penetrate the stellar Memorial defence – led by Sarah Jones (Marystown, N.L.) and Anke Wijnbergen (Leeuwarden, NED) – to add to their one-goal advantage, which they carried to the locker room at halftime.

Memorial notched the equalizer in the 57th minute on a corner kick from Jones.

Both teams garnered chances in the tightly played second half, but the score remained 1-1 at the end of regulation time.

Sally Steinburg, who got in behind the Memorial defence, had the best chance for Dalhousie in overtime, but Claude made a dazzling stop.

Rowe, on a feed from Langille, had the most dangerous opportunity for the Sea-Hawks, but her strike sailed high and wide.