Anna Pozzi picked the right time to elevate her game. The grade 10 forward scored twice to lead Holy Names to a 2-0 win over St. Thomas Aquinas and a repeat as OFSAA champs. "It was so exciting. We put the effort in. We put in the hard work and we deserve this." Pozzi said.
Hard to argue her point. Last year the Knights made local sports history by becoming the first sr. girls soccer team since L'Essor in 2013 to win gold at OFSAA. They had a team laden with grade 12 players. Heading into the final Saturday afternoon at St. Clair College's Acumen Stadium Holy Names were missing nine of those players.
"We're gritty and we have a next gear and we figured that out," Ditchfield said. "It took some games but it was great."
The top seed featured five grade 10 and four grade 9 starters. "Our seniors were intregral in taking a lot of the younger players, working with them, talking to them, supporting them, always being there and not panicking," said head coach Stacey Ditchfield. "We weren't as maybe as deep, but we definitely had a cohesiveness that in the end just kept us strong and when we were down or we needed a goal, a lot people stepped up.
Alessia Venosa earned the clean sheet making a couple of clutch saves in the second half. The grade 10 keeper grabbed a hard shot from the left side earmarked for the top shelf midway through the half and then made a diving save on a point blank shot from ten yards out to keep the visitors at bay.
"We won it all for a second year in a row. I'm glad that I'm thankful for all of our supporters. We had everyone here and it was a great way to win for everyone." Venosa said.
Holy Names is now two-time OFSAA champs. "It wasn't easy." Pozzi said.
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