The Algonquin Thunder women’s soccer team picked up yet another win in their doubleheader against the Fleming Knights on Oct. 6, beating them 5-0.
The Thunder beat the Knights by the same score earlier in the season.
Forward Melissa Gilligan scored the first goal for the Thunder two minutes into the game, putting them ahead 1-0. Aside from Gilligan, who scored another goal during the first-half, midfielder Mallory McQueen and defence Hailey Martin also managed to score goals for the Thunder, further increasing their score.
Gilligan, a first-year player for the Thunder, was recently named an OCAA and CCAA athlete of the week for her performance during the Thunder’s away game against the Knights in September.
“I was just really excited to see that I was actually Athlete of the Week for just Algonquin and then I saw that it continued on so it was just such an accomplishment,” said Gilligan. “Just playing on the team is enough for me and to be able to get Athlete of the Week was pretty awesome.”
Gilligan thought the team played well overall in their doubleheader.
“We were very ecstatic at the beginning of the game but as the game went on we got more comfortable, we moved the ball a lot faster, we did it in one and two touches so that was good.”
Communication among the team, especially communication with the ball, is one issue that Gilligan and McQueen agree the Thunder needs to work on, especially when playing against teams like Fleming.
“I find when things slow down or maybe we’re not as into the game our communication’s our first thing to drop,” said McQueen. “If we can keep that up then we can keep playing at the same tempo that we start with.”
According to McQueen, head coach Dom Oliveri stresses that standards are the team’s number one goal to focus on, which is especially relevant since the OCAA provincial championships are coming up at the end of October.
“We have to keep playing at our tempo no matter who the opposition is,” said McQueen.
As of Oct. 3, the Algonquin Thunder are currently ranked first in the East by the OCAA. The provincial championships will take place in Sudbury, Ont. from Oct. 26 to 28.