Ridgebacks cap historic season with national bronze medal

WOLFVILLE, NOVA SCOTIA – For first time its history, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) has earned a podium finish in a national championship.

The Ridgebacks women’s soccer team defeated the conference-rival Queen’s Gaels 1-0 in the bronze medal match at the U Sports Canadian national soccer championship at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Katherine Koehler-Grassau (third-year student, Applied and Industrial Mathematics) scored early in the second half to give the Ridgebacks the win.

The game was rematch of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) title game on November 6 that saw the Ridgebacks earn the university's first-ever provincial varsity sports title.

• Link to the UOIT Ridgebacks website for complete game information.

Earlier in the tournament, the Ridgebacks defeated five-time national champion Trinity Western 1-0 in extra time to advance to the final four. But in the semi-finals, the Ridgebacks were edged 2-1 in extra time by the Quebec champion Laval Rouge et Or.

In addition to finishing the playoffs ranked third out of 53 programs across Canada, the 2016 season saw the Ridgebacks win its first OUA East Division regular season title. UOIT then defeated Laurentian, Windsor and Queen’s to win the OUA title. The Ridgebacks women’s soccer program has been in existence for only five years.

Congratulations to the Ridgeback players, U Sports Coach of the Year Peyvand Mossavat and the entire team staff on a remarkable year full of all-star accolades and new program milestones that brought great distinction the university on the national stage.

Let’s Go Ridgebacks!

Related news

• Ridgebacks advance to national semi-final with 1-0 win over Trinity Western
• Mossavat, Bordeleau and Koehler-Grassau take home national awards
• Women’s soccer wins first OUA championship

Key links

• UOIT women’s soccer website
• National tournament website