GS United Commitment to Excellence

GS Women’s team was under immense pressure. Instead of congratulatory comments they were faced with questions about going back to their sixth and if they were going to do anything different to reach the final and get a chance of win the national champi- onship The fact that GS Masters won a Re- ginal championship months earlier did not help the women’s case. Coach Williams was also under pressure. He must have known that coaches have been removed from

GS Win 6-Straight Ontario Cup The final of the 2018 Women’s Ontario Cup saw a determined Durham United team fully prepared to upset the highly favoured and defending champion GS United Women’s team. It was game by which upsets are written, however, it must be said that GS had won the previous five Ontario Cup championships and was determined to have another opportunity to win what has been a very elusive National championship. The game was played at the Ontario Soccer Cen- tre in Vaughan where both teams had scoring chances that neither was able to convert into goals. The second half was more of the same as each side failed to get the better of the other de- fense and when either did they found the goal- keepers were up to the task. To say the goalkeepers were huge in the Ontario Cup final will be an understatement. The scoreless game went directly into penalty kicks after regulation time. GS had practiced kicking penalties and their goalkeeper was as cool as a cucumber after her Captain missed the first of the penalty kicks and came up with the big save that enabled her team to book their passage to the 2018 National Championship. It was their first win on penalty kicks in their six Ontario Cup Women’s final successes. The stress of winning on penalty kicks left the team numb and was about to take the long and winding road again. .

Captain Blair with Ontario Cup from OSA President Ron Smale

their job after successful seasons. However, to his credit he was not afraid to take on the challenge and adapt to change. He welcomed advice and criticism from internal and external sources. The success of GS United Women’s team at the 2018 Nationals was truly a collective effort. The players did their part and the experience of Coach William and his coaching staff of Mark Gibbs, Peyvand Mossavat ,

Photos credit to Ontario Soccer Association

GS players congratulate goalkeeper on PK win in final

Danielle Blair eludes defender

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