Wolves women’s soccer season ends with 2-1 playoff loss to Fanshawe
The Algonquin Wolves hosted the Fanshawe Falcons at Algonquin Sports Field on Oct. 21 in a playoff qualifier, with the winner advancing to the next round.
In the opening minute, Falcons midfielder Miriam Wambulwa scored on a free kick, silencing the crowd.
But the Wolves’ howl was unfazed.
Eight minutes later, Wolves midfielder Annika Dubeau sent a cross to Mallory Armstrong, who finished the play to tie the game and bring the crowd back to life.
With the game still tied in the 90th minute, Falcons striker Lily Ryder scored off a pass from Annika Thompson to give Fanshawe the lead.
The crowd continued to cheer in hopes of another Wolves goal, but the final whistle ended Algonquin’s season.
“I thought we were doing a good job of sticking within our formation, sticking within our system — but we just lost,” said Wolves head coach Basil Phillips.
“When you turn the ball over that much, we’re gonna get punished from time to time.”
The Wolves finished their 2026 season with a 5-3-2 record.
Jasmine Young led the team with seven goals, while Kassandra Da Cruz, Annika Dubeau and Danika Mader tied for the team lead with four assists each.
“It’s been a bit of a learning season for us because we lost a few veterans last year, so it was a bit of a rebuild,” Phillips said. “Overall, it’s been good. There’s still instances that we got to get better in and look forward to next year.”
Despite the loss, the Wolves were proud of their performance and the team’s progress throughout the season.
“We were strong in our last three games. We kept a positive attitude and we made it this far and I’m very proud of the whole team,” said Wolves defender Mercedes Veninga.
“It’s not the ending we wanted, but we’re going to get it next year.”
The team’s strong dressing room culture also helped younger players adjust to the demands of Ontario Colleges Athletic Association women’s soccer.
Wolves striker Rilee Kears believes the connections she made were integral to the team’s dynamic.
“As a rookie, the friendship and the bonding experience was probably my favourite,” she said.
