Fredericton, NB– The Mount Saint Vincent Mystics (1) and the St. Thomas Tommies (4) kicked off the 2022 Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) Women’s Soccer Championship, with the Mystics taking a 3-1 semi-final win. A quick start for MSVU, scoring twice in the first six minutes, would carry them to victory. 

The Mystics struck first in the 4th minute, playing a high ball after a shot on goal and getting it past STU goalkeeper Marissa Archibald (Truro, NS), going off Tommies’ defender Kaleigh Roberts (Moncton, NB) and into the net. It didn’t take long for them to strike again – just over a minute later, Annika Monroe put another one in for the Mystics. 

The Tommies managed to keep up the pressure, generating several prime scoring opportunities, although none made their way past keeper Morgan Gillies. 

Archibald kept it close for the Tommies, making a diving save in the 16th minute to keep the score 2-0. The Tommies finally struck the back of the net in the 41st minute when Ciera Meredith (Bowmanville, ON), delivered a penalty kick. 

The Mystics went into the half with a 2-1 lead. 

The second half was evenly matched, without many scoring chances until the 54th minute when an MSVU shot sailed just over the net. The Tommies found their two biggest chances late in the game when goalkeeper Morgan Gillies fumbled the ball in the box. Gillies was able to recover, but STU kept up the pressure, with a shot from a distance from Erin Smal, sailing just left of the top corner in the 85th minute.  

The Mystics came up the field and would seal the deal, as Erica Boone put one past Archibald, giving MSVU the 3-1 win, punching their ticket to Sunday’s final.  

Mystics Head Coach, Danielle Cyr, said her team came in well prepared.  

“We had our gameplan and we knew what we wanted to do,” she said. 

Cyr said Boone’s goal lifted the Mystics nerves, as the goal sealed the deal to put them in tomorrow's final. She said Boone has worked hard and deserved the goal. 

“It lifted a little bit of the nerves.” 

The Mystics ended with a 3-1 victory and will play the winner of the University of New Brunswick Saint John Seawolves (2) vs. The Holland College Hurricanes (3) Sunday at the Grant-Harvey Turf Field at 12:00pm.