Fredericton, NB – The Holland College Hurricanes captured the 2022 ACAA Men’s Soccer Championship after besting the St. Thomas University Tommies in penalty kicks.

Tommies’ Brett Springer netted the first goal of the match, and the Tommies carried the 1-0 lead into the half. The Hurricanes didn't get on the board until the 50th minute when Mohammed Alhaj Ali beat STU’s keeper, Luke Ewen, to even things up.  

The Hurricanes took the lead by executing off a rare mistake from Ewen - a miscommunication that led Keisuke Masuda to an open net, giving the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead late in the game.

The Tommies were forced to play a man short after Gray Cyr was shown off the pitch after receiving his second yellow card of the match. Despite being a man short, there was no quit in the shorthanded Tommies. A corner kick led to an Elias Stiphout header, tying the match at two goals apiece.

In the 82nd minute, Hurricanes’ striker Mohammed Alhaj Ali managed to sneak past the STU defenders for a breakaway, but the Tommies’ keeper was up for the challenge. Ewen made a sliding tackle to rob Alhaj Ali of his second goal of the game and send the game to overtime. 

But the late game heroics didn't prevent the Hurricanes from celebrating on the Grant-Harvey Turf Field. The ‘Canes captured the banner after Yannick MacPhee found the back of the net, giving Holland College the 4-3 edge in penalty kicks.  

Hurricanes Head Coach Jonathan Vos couldn't have been prouder of his squad. 

"It's just amazing," he said. "I'm just so proud of them." 

The Hurricanes had gone to extra time in their semi-final match the previous day against the University of King's College Blue Devils as well. 

Vos said he didn't have to tell his team much prior to kick-off. Holland was locked in. 

"When I walked into the locker room, you could just feel the energy and the focus," Vos said. "It was just a few short words to make sure they we were in this together and to battle for each other." 

ACAA Player of the Year, Mohammed Alhaj Ali, had nothing but praise for his teammates after the win.

"My teammates are unbelievable; I just want to say a big thank you to my teammates and coaches," Alhaj Ali said. 

After losing to the Tommies in the finals the previous year in penalty kicks, he said Ewen knew him well, so he aimed for the left instead of his right.  

"He got a touch on it, but it was a powerful kick." 

The Hurricanes will make their way to British Columbia to compete in the CCAA Nationals from Nov. 9-12.