2024/09/07 – Women’s Game: Saint John Shows Force at Game Opener

With wet weather and frantic fans, the Saint John girl’s soccer team turned out a tie of 1-1 for the 2024 season’s home opener. Playing against the marauding Mount St. Vincent’s Mystics, the Saint John Seawolves battled it out in a brutal bout. Showing strong defence in the first half, the Seawolves’s goalie #1, Casey Grant-Spin, gave it her all and defended against several shots on net. With strong central defence midfielder (CDM) #4, Hope Gaudet (2 SH, 2 SOG), showing remarkable heart, bouncing back after multiple minor injuries on the field, and right winger (RW) #7, Makena MacDonald, towing the line (3 SH, 2 SOG), the SJ Seawolves stood tall.

Shifting towards the start of the second half, MSVU Mystic midfielder #15, Emma Farrell, dug in, delivered several attempts (2 SH, 2 SOG), and snuck one past Casey Grant-Spin that stirred up the crowd. Likewise, Mystic defensive midfielder #7, Leah Mombourquette, lit up the Saint John net, but failed to pass the post (3 SH, 1 SOG). Contending to turn the tide with a now 1-0 score in the Mystics favour, striker #16, Joce Splitgerber picked up the pace (3 SH, 3 SOG), halfway through the second half, and cinched a shot that slipped past the Mystics’s goalie. With the game locked in at 1-1, time was tacked on, and despite competitive performances from Seawolf #15, Grace Gordon, and Mystic forward #11, Annabelle Lendrum-Harnish, it all added up to a stalemate in the end.

Later, when asked about her game-tying goal, Seawolf Joce Splitgerber stayed humble and described the game as, “[an] effort from everyone.” Looking back at the afternoon’s events, cool-headed coach P.J Ward called the game, “a good step forward.”

2024/09/07- Men’s Game: SJ Soccer Stars Steal the Show

Ravaged by ruthless rain, frequent fouls, and the merciless maneuvers of the Mount St. Vincent Mystics, the Saint John Seawolves swam through the storm to steal the show. In an evident incident of expert accuracy, the Seawolves’s sharpshooters sniped their way to the top to win out against the MSVU Mystics in their home-opener with a score of 2-1. With a first half that was rife with promising defensive performances from winger #20, Malek Karoui, and center back #4, Trystan Burnham, there was incredible calm before the chaos that was the second half.

As the Seawolves started to press the pace in the second half, they saw impressive push-back from the Mystics’ Alex Bellefontaine (2 SH, 1 SOG) and Ignacio Chung Michelsen (1 SH, 1 SOG). In a sudden turning of the tide though, in came Seawolf winger #7, Griffin Cassidy, who outflanked the rival team to score the first goal of the game. With the crowd now in an uproar, the Mystics went on the offensive and after a series of back and forth, two penalty shots were awarded to the Mystics due to an earlier accidental hand goal by the Seawolves. In the ensuing latter penalty kick, Mystic #16, Nick Bryden, scored on Seawolf goalkeeper Mikael Rataich. This shot tied the already tense game and with torrential winds favouring the home team, the entire stadium was on the edge of their seats to see what would happen next.

And in this frenzied atmosphere with both teams showing considerable prowess, an unexpected score on the Mystic net from #21 center midfielder, Luke Antoniello, sealed the deal for the Seawolves. With that, both the crowd and the weather went wild. The cheering of fans was only matched, if not bolstered, by the calamitous conditions for the day’s game. Asked later about his game-winning goal, Luke Antoniello offered up the sage declaration that “anything is possible.”

2024/09/08- Women’s Game: Devils Deliver Defeat to Steadfast Seawolves

In a hard-fought game, the University of King’s College’s Blue Devils won out over the Saint John Seawolves with a finishing score of 1-0. With the Devils offering up their all from the get-go, it was an uphill battle for the Seawolves. Showing a slow and steady pace in the first half that proved perilous for the Seawolves, Blue Devil C.A.M #14, Tia Lovegrove, made multiple attempts on the net (3 SH, 3 SOG) before getting the goal of the game. 

From there, the Blue Devils showed out with a shut out in the second half. Despite this opposition, the Seawolves’s #15, Grace Gordon (2 SH, 1 SOG), and #16, Joce Splitgerber (2 SH, 1 SOG), were not easily deterred and both had several near misses in the latter half of the game. Ultimately though, this admirable effort was not enough to turn the tide, and the game came to an unfortunate end with the UNB Saint John Seawolves losing to the UKC Blue Devils in their second game of the season.

2024/09/08- Men’s Game: Seawolves Shoot it out to a Standstill

The Saint John Seawolves brought out their best and brightest in a brazen back and forth at the Canada Games Stadium that resulted in a tie of 3-3 with the University of King’s College’s Blue Devils. With senior Seawolf winger #7, Griffin Cassidy, scoring on Blue Devil goalie Liam Collings early in the first half, commentator David Munro called it correct when he cried out to the crowd to “fasten your seatbelts.” Following up their lead, Seawolf Malek Karoui put pressure on his opponents with a couple of near misses on the Blue Devil net. In rapid rebuttal, Blue Devil winger #18, Luke Kotaska, sliced through the Seawolves’s defences with a shot that sent usually eagle-eyed Seawolf goalie Mikael Rataich sprawling. Cinching the shot, Kotaska upped the score for the Blue Devils leaving the Seawolves vying for a response.

In swift succession, the Seawolves saw their prayers answered with a penalty shot from Griffin Cassidy that neared the net and was ushered in by an ever-exuberant Seawolf midfielder #2 – Aaron Gallardo. Now, with the game tied once more, Seawolf center back #4, Trystan Burnham, brought home the bacon with a score on the Blue Devil net, leaving the Seawolves in the lead. Immediately afterwards, a penalty shot awarded to the Blue Devils tied the game for the final time and told the tale of the tape. With an ending tied score of 3-3, Seawolf head coach PJ Ward ruminated that, “[The Seawolves] need to maintain composure in the chaos”, if they want to improve for their next game against the Holland College Hurricanes on September 14th.

Until then, howl on, Seawolves!