The Gaels men’s soccer team left the weekend with a win, wisdom, and a look at some new blood.
Queen’s hosted back-to-back home games, earning a vital 2-1 win over the Nipissing University Lakers on Oct. 4, before falling 2-0 to the Carleton University Ravens on Oct. 5 at Richardson Stadium. The results keep Queen’s in the thick of the OUA playoff race while offering valuable experience for a rotated lineup.
Head coach Kasy Kiarash told The Journal the weekend was as much about player development as results. After a challenging year, he’s encouraged by the team’s growth, adding that they’ve been “battle-tested” and have learned how to bounce back from adversity.
Friday’s matchup with Nipissing was a must-win as the Gaels fight for OUA East seeding ahead of the playoffs. The Lakers struck first in the 22nd minute when forward Christiano Alagna converted off a corner after narrowly missing a header a moment earlier.
Queen’s drew level early in the second half when first-year standout Jacob Ball, ArtSci ’29, earned and buried a penalty in the 54th minute after being brought down in the box. Ball sealed the win in the 68th, finishing off a slick buildup from Krystian Golen, ArtSci ’29, and Ian Ferguson, ArtSci ’26, to make it 2–1 Gaels.
The second half turned scrappy, with 10 yellow cards flying as both sides battled for control. Queen’s held their ground through the chaos, sealing their fourth win of the season and three crucial points.
With less than 24 hours to regroup, Kiarash overhauled the lineup for Saturday’s clash with the undefeated Ravens, giving many players their first start of the season. Facing a top-10 opponent was no small task, but Queen’s defence held firm for over an hour, with a goal-line clearance from Tasos Golias, ArtSci ’26, in the fourth minute setting the tone for a resilient effort.
“It was a great opportunity to see a lot of players who haven’t started before,” Kiarash said, pointing to strong showings from Bennett Lichti, ArtSci ’29, James Feininger, ArtSci ’28, and Dylan Wells, HealthSci ’27, praising both their maturity and composure.
The Ravens finally broke through in the 58th minute and added a late second to seal the win, but the Gaels’ resilience stood out against one of the OUA’s top sides. Still, despite pride in their effort on short rest, the loss left a bitter taste.
In the 81st minute, defender Samuel Asenuga, ArtSci ’27, was shown a red card after a substitution mix-up. Caught on the far side of the pitch, he seemed unsure if he’d been subbed off and briefly stayed on, asking the assistant referee for clarification to no avail. A minute of play later, the head referee issued him his second yellow card of the match, sending him off. The decision allowed the Gaels to proceed at full strength, but means that Asenuga will be forced to miss the next fixture per OUA regulations.
Kiarash later said the confusion arose from new substitution rules letting players exit at the nearest sideline rather than midfield. Without a fourth official to oversee the change, things got messy.
Minutes later, Queen’s thought they’d earned a penalty when a Carleton defender appeared to swat the ball in the penalty area, but the call never came. The Ravens countered immediately and doubled their lead, sealing the result.
Despite the loss, Kiarash remained optimistic. He said battling adversity and giving younger players high-level minutes will pay off when the playoffs arrive. “We knew it was going to be tough against a fresh Carleton team,” he said. “But we saw a lot of great performances, guys showing they’re ready. It’s all part of preparing for playoffs.”
The Gaels will finish off their regular season next weekend. On Oct. 10, they’ll face off against the Ontario Tech University Ridgebacks at 6:15 p.m. ET at home. Two days later, they’ll head to Ottawa as they seek revenge against the Ravens at 3:15 p.m. ET.
Tags
Carleton Ravens, Connor Adams, Ian Ferguson, Jacob Ball, Kasy Kiarash, Nipissing Lakers, Queen's men's soccer, Samuel Asenuga
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