The York University Lions men’s soccer team will be on the hunt for its fourth consecutive conference banner this weekend, when the squad travels to Birchmount Park for the 2016 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Men’s Soccer Final Four Championships.

The four-team event will be hosted by the Ryerson Rams, with the semifinals scheduled for Saturday and the gold- and bronze-medal games to be played on Sunday. All four games can be seen live online on OUA.tv.

This year’s championship promises to be a thriller as all four teams are ranked among the top five in the U Sports national rankings. For the third year in a row, the No. 1 Lions will battle their cross-town rivals, the No. 5 Toronto Varsity Blues, in the first semifinal at noon, while the No. 3 Rams and No. 4 Guelph Gryphons will follow at 3pm. Last year at Alumni Field, the Lions defeated the Blues 1-0 in overtime and the year before that were victorious 2-0.

The Lions are looking to become the first team to win four straight OUA titles since the Western Mustangs accomplished the feat from 1996-99. Toronto’s most recent championship was in 2010 and the Gryphons have not captured the Blackwood Cup since 1990. The Rams have never won the men’s soccer championship but were silver medallists in 2013.

The Lions will be favoured against the Blues in this year’s semifinal as top seeds in the West, while Toronto finished second in the OUA East. The Lions went undefeated in the regular season for the third time in five years with a 14-0-2 record and are on a remarkable run of success that has seen them lose just one game in three seasons. They finished atop the OUA West Division for the 10th straight year, and have reached the OUA Final Four nine times in the last 10 seasons, winning four championships and qualifying for the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) tournament six times.

The Lions reached the semifinals with a 3-0 victory over the Western Mustangs in their OUA quarter-final match last Sunday, while the Blues got through with a 2-1 win over the Carleton Ravens. Toronto went 12-2-2 in the regular-season.

For the third year in a row, the Lions allowed the fewest goals in the OUA West, giving up just 11 in 16 regular-season games. They also had a tremendous offence that found the back of the net 49 times, the second most goals scored in the division. Toronto also boasts strong numbers in both directions as they scored 45 goals and gave up only nine.

In the other semifinal, the host Rams are looking to avenge back-to-back upsets in the same round in each of the last two years, and will be in tough competition against a talented Gryphons squad that scored more goals than any other team in the OUA this season, with 57. The Rams finished atop the OUA East for the fourth straight year with a 14-1-1 record, while the Gryphons were second in the West at 12-2-2. The Rams reached the semifinals with a 1-0 overtime win over Queen’s and the Gryphons advanced by taking out the two-time defending OUA silver medallist McMaster Marauders in their quarter-final match.

In addition to the OUA title, York, Ryerson and Toronto are competing for a berth in the CIS Men’s Soccer Championship, which will be hosted by Guelph from Nov. 10 to 13. The winners of the two semifinals on Saturday will earn the spots at the national tournament, but as hosts, the Gryphons have already secured their spot and so, should they reach the OUA final, the third berth will go to the winner of Sunday’s bronze-medal match.

It’s a new era for the York University Lions women’s volleyball team with a change in leadership at the top, and new head coach John May is focused on returning the squad to the upper echelons of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA).

May was hired this past summer and, after returning from Rio where he was coaching Canada’s beach volleyball duo of Kristina Valjas and Jamie Broder, went to work with the Lions. He was instantly impressed with how closely the student-athletes on the team worked together and believes that will be a strength for the team as they embark on the 2016-17 campaign.

“In taking on the responsibility of the team I didn’t know what to expect, but when I got here I couldn’t believe how awesome the camaraderie was amongst the players. They are a very close group of young women and they are really committed to working together to reach a common goal.”

The Lions come into this year looking to bounce back after missing out on the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. They finished fifth in the OUA East Division last year and will need to move into the top four to earn a berth. The division has a different look with the departure of York’s fiercest rival, the Ottawa Gee-Gees. In their place is a brand new Trent Excalibur squad that will provide a different challenge for its opponents.

The Lions return all but one player from last year’s lineup, and that familiarity and experience will go a long way in helping the team achieve its goals.

Fifth-year setter Kirsten Dillon will once again be called upon to lead the team. Twice in her career she has ranked among the OUA’s top five in assists per set and she has become a dependable player to run the offence.

Each of the team’s top five scorers from last year are all back, most notably team scoring leader and third-year outside hitter Celeste Witzell and sophomore outside hitter Sarah Williams. Witzell was the squad’s MVP last season after leading the Lions in points as well as kills, hitting percentage, blocks and service aces, while Williams earned a place on the OUA all-rookie team  after a strong first year that included leading the Lions in kills per set and ranking second in digs per set.

Defensively, liberos Carley Flemmer and Sabah Kalim each provide a steady presence for the team and both ranked inside the OUA’s top 15 in digs per set last season. Flemmer is a fifth-year standout with plenty of experience, while Kalim is in just her second year and represents the future at the position.

The Lions will benefit from the return of left side Melissa Monkhouse, who last suited up for the Lions in 2013-14. She already has three years of experience in the OUA with the Lions and will round out the offence this season as she brings a dimension of power that the squad was missing before.

May didn’t have much time with the Lions before kicking off the season, but he saw enough to know that the talent is there to challenge for the top and he is encouraging his players to believe in what they are capable of.

“I am hoping to instill in them a sense of confidence and a sense of what’s possible. I am excited to be part of it,” he said. “Individually, right down to each athlete, we want to make sure that they understand their true potential and power, and help them discover it.

“I have high expectations for us this year. We are playing a sport at a high level so we are going into every match expecting to win. We want to establish a commitment to winning and striving to be our best. We are giving ourselves some time before we set concrete goals as we have to build a foundation in each individual first and establish that commitment to success.”

The York University Lions women’s tennis team won the silver medal at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships for the second straight year on Sunday, with a 4-3 loss to the host Western University Mustangs in the championship final.

The men’s team, meanwhile, was defeated by a 5-2 score by the Universite de Montreal Carabins in the bronze medal match to finish in fourth place.

The women, who entered the championships as the top seeds after an undefeated regular season, knocked off the University of Waterloo Warriors 7-0 in the semis to set up a surprise final against the Mustangs, who upset the defending champion Carabins in their semifinal match. The Lions took a 3-0 lead after claiming the doubles point and winning the first two singles matches, but the Mustangs came storming back to win the last four singles matches and capture the banner. More details on the York Lions website.

Men’s soccer Lions clinch 10th straight OUA West title with win over Badgers

The York University Lions men’s soccer team won its 10th straight OUA West Division title on Sunday afternoon, with a 2-0 victory over the Brock University Badgers at Alumni Field.

With the victory, the Lions keep their undefeated streak alive and move forward with a record of 12-0-2. The stunning record translates to 38 points and the first place position in the OUA West standings. They have a six-point lead over Guelph, with two games remaining and hold the tie-breaker over their division rivals.

The first goal of the match came from the foot of Maurizio Ragone in the 20th minute when he dribbled the ball into the 18-yard box and fired a laser straight past unaware Brock goalkeeper Matt Zaikos. More details.

Women’s rugby Lions have season ended by Gaels in OUA quarter-finals

The York University Lions women’s rugby team dropped a 60-7 decision to the No. 7 nationally ranked Queen’s University Gaels in their OUA quarter-final match at Nixon Field in Kingston, Ont., on Saturday afternoon.

The Gaels scored 26 points in the first half, on four tries and three conversions, to all but put the game away. The Lions scored the first points of the second half, a try by Dorrian Khouri and a conversion by Catherine Belanger 10 minutes into the frame, but that was as close a they would get.

The Gaels added five more tries and two conversions in the second half to run away with the victory. More details.

Men’s hockey Lions rally from three goals down to defeat Golden Hawks

The York University Lions men’s hockey team rallied from a three-goal deficit to defeat the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks by a score of 4-3 on Saturday night at Canlan Ice Sports.

The result avenged a 4-3 loss to the Golden Hawks one week ago in Waterloo, Ont.

The first period was all the Golden Hawks, as Danny Hanlon scored twice to give Laurier a 2-0 lead entering the second period. The beginning of the second period was opened up with a goal from Laurier’s Kyle Morrison just one minute in. With the Lions now down 3-0 at the start of the period, it was time for the rally to begin, and they did so 55 seconds later when Trevor Petersen capitalized off of the power play. More details.

On Friday night, Kyle Campbell scored the lone goal of the game to give the Lions a 1-0 victory over the visiting University of Toronto Varsity Blues also at Canlan Ice Sports.

The first two periods of the game were scoreless for both teams even with 24 shot attempts by the Lions. In the first two periods, York outshot Toronto 24-10; this would lead to good fortune in the third and final period of the game when, once again, the Lions outshot the Varsity Blues 10-5. More details.

Women’s soccer Lions top Badgers to remain first in OUA West

The York University Lions women’s soccer team stormed the field on Sunday afternoon and they defended their home turf at Alumni Field with a 1-0 victory over the Brock University Badgers.

The victory was the Lions’ 10th on the season, as they now have a record of 10-1-3 and 33 points, giving them top spot in the OUA West Division.

The match was filled with both teams racing to move the ball into each other’s end. No player on either team seemed to be able to find a way to succeed in enemy territory in the first half. With the score still deadlocked just before the half, Kiyani Johnson scored in the 41st minute of play on an incredible goal. She came racing down the field into the 18-yard box and just before she was forced out of bounds she sliced the ball, beating the goalkeeper’s angle all the way to the opposite post. More details.

Football Lions close home schedule with loss to No. 8 Marauders

The York University Lions football team was defeated by the No. 8 nationally ranked McMaster University Marauders by a score of 64-2 in their home finale at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Marauders scored a touchdown on their opening drive and never looked back from there, putting up 582 yards of offence and scoring six offensive touchdowns. They also had a pair on special teams, with an 85-yard punt return major by Mitch Garland in the first quarter, and a 63-yard return in the fourth quarter by Aaron Baker.

York’s only points came on a McMaster conceded safety in the opening quarter. More details.

Women’s hockey Lions top Ridgebacks for season opening win

The York University Lions women’s hockey team played their season opener on Saturday afternoon at Canlan Ice Sports against the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks and started the season off on the right foot as they left the game victorious with a 4-1 win.

Both teams entered the game with an extreme hunger for the win and the first period was a reflection of that as both teams held each other scoreless for the first 20 minutes of the match.

The second period was a much different story. In the second minute of the frame, rookie Kelsey McHolm broke the deadlock when she sneaked the puck past UOIT goaltender Tori Campbell off of an assist from Erin Locke for a 1-0 lead. More details.

On Sunday, the Lions travelled to Kingston, Ont., for their first road game of the season and were defeated by the Queen’s University Gaels by a score of 3-0.

The Gaels flooded the Lions net offensively and for the most part the defence played stellar as York goaltender Lauren Dubie saved 21 shots on net. More details.

Sharma posts second straight top-five finish at Toronto Invitational

York University Lions cross country runner Suraj Sharma recorded his second straight top-five finish of the season with a fifth-place showing at the Toronto Invitational on Sunday at Centennial Park.

The fifth-year runner from Brampton, Ont., crossed the finish line of the 8-kilometre race in a time of 25:38 to finish among the leaders in a field of 84 runners.

The Lions also had four runners in the women’s 5-kilometre race and they were led by Vaishnavy Yogarajah, who crossed the finish line in a time of 20:16 in 34th place. More details.

The York University Lions men’s and women’s hockey teams will play their home openers for their respective 2016-17 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) seasons this weekend.

The men’s squad has a pair of games on the schedule, first against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday night at 7pm and followed by a contest the following day against the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks at the same time.

The women, meanwhile, will host the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks on Saturday afternoon at 2pm.

The Lions men’s team has already begun regular season action with two games last weekend, both 4-3 losses on the road against the Golden Hawks and Brock University Badgers. Despite the slow start, the Lions are looking to continue the momentum they generated last season when they engineered a worst-to-first turnaround under first-year head coach Chris Dennis.

Last year the Lions had something to prove after a last-place finish in the OUA West the previous season. Dennis took over the helm of the program and the results were immediate: the Lions won six of their first eight games and earned points in 10 of their first 11 en route to the top spot in the OUA West Division and five weeks in the Canadian Intrauniversity Sport (CIS) national rankings. However, the season ended sooner than expected with a game-three loss to the Varsity Blues in the first round of the playoffs, and this year’s team is using that disappointment as motivation to stay at the top and position themselves for a deep post-season run.

“The players decided they wanted to be a team that was difficult to play against,” said Dennis of the improvement. “They wanted to learn our system and embrace it, and it was all their effort and dedication to the team that was the reason for the turnaround. The season didn’t end the way we wanted; our team has a bunch of second-year players with a first-year coach in the league. In a best two-out-of-three, anything can happen and we found that out. We played well enough to win and it didn’t go our way. We learned a lot from that and I think we will be better because of it.”

The Lions women’s team went 5-3-1 in the preseason and enters this year’s campaign with something to prove after narrowly missing out on the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

For the second year in a row, the Lions improved their point total from the previous season but it was not enough to secure a playoff berth in the OUA standings. The line-up has the talent to finish among the conference’s top eight and that remains something head coach Dan Church is eyeing for his squad, but he is more concerned with his team focusing on playing hard and sticking to their tough-to-play-against style.

“The focus has to be on how we compete day to day. We are not really looking at points but trying to improve in terms of the level of our performance. If we get better every day in practice and work hard to compete to the best of our ability, the points and the wins will take care of themselves and we will be in the right place at the end of the year,” he said.

All three opening-weekend contests will take place at Canlan Ice Sports York and tickets can be purchased at the door on game day.

The York University Lions women’s rugby team dominated the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday night and defeated them by a score of 71-0 at the York Rugby Field.

It was the second straight win for the Lions and it was a full-on display of the team’s uncontainable potential. The Lions are now 3-1 on the season, while the Varsity Blues are still winless on the year at 0-3.

Brooke Jensen showed great will in refusing to go down as she scored her only try of the game 13 minutes in for the opening score to make it 5-0.

A streaking Tobi Owotomo plunged into the end zone for her first of four tries of the night in less than two minutes. Each try showed her unbelievable athleticism and power as a ball carrier, often making defenders look like pylons. More details on the York Lions website.

Cavallini scores two for men’s soccer Lions comeback win over Golden Hawks

The York University Lions men’s soccer team twice rallied from a goal down to defeat the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks by a score of 3-2 at University Stadium in Waterloo, Ont., on Sunday afternoon.

The Lions had their work cut out for them early on against the Golden Hawks as Laurier made its way onto the scoreboard first with a Niklas Bauer goal in the 14th minute.

It was not until late in the half that York responded with a goal by the foot of Dena Iezady in the 44th minute for a 1-1 tie at the half. More details.

Earlier in the weekend, the Lions blanked the University of Waterloo Warriors by a score of 4-0. The Lions had an offensive talent outburst starting early in the game and continuing often.

It all started with a goal from Milan Beader in the fourth minute of the match. The scoring continued in the first half with Cristian Cavallini scoring in the 18th minute on an unassisted goal. More details.

Women’s soccer Lions get back into win column with victory over Warriors

The York University Lions women’s soccer team continued its unbeaten streak on Friday night when they faced the University of Waterloo Warriors, winning by a score of 2-1. The game took place at Warrior Field in Waterloo.

The Lions held off a late rally attempt from the Warriors with their tough defence, but the victory could very much be attributed to York’s early offensive surge.

In the first half, standout fifth-year striker Nour Ghoneim found her way to the back of the net in the 34th minute. This was closely followed by a goal from Kiyani Johnson, which was assisted by Ashley Nater. This closed out the half well for the Lions and left the Warriors on their heels moving into the second half. More details.

Two days later, the Lions earned a 1-0 victory over the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks thanks to a late goal by Johnson. The first half of Sunday’s game went scoreless as the Lions and the Golden Hawks embraced in a defensive struggle. Both teams pressed offensively but could not seem to find the right touch. York had 11 shots on net throughout the contest while Laurier had seven. More details.

Field hockey Lions have big weekend against Guelph and McGill

The York University Lions field hockey team had an impressive weekend in Kingston, Ont., earning a 2-2 tie against the University of Guelph Gryphons and picking up a 5-0 victory over the McGill University Martlets.

Against the Gryphons on Saturday, the Lions came back from two goals down to earn the draw thanks to back-to-back goals by Paige Warner and Sydney McFaul just four minutes apart late in the second half.

One day later, the Lions returned to the pitch and posted the lopsided result against the winless Martlets. The game was quiet to begin as it took until the 33rd minute before Michelle Per found the back of the net, but in the second half they exploded for four goals to put the game well out of reach. More details.

Women’s tennis Lions finish regular season undefeated for third straight year

The York University Lions women’s tennis team finished the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) regular season undefeated for the third straight year with victories over the McGill University Martlets and University of Waterloo Warriors this weekend.

The Lions defeated the Martlets 6-1 at home on Friday and then knocked off the Warriors by the same score on the road in Waterloo on Saturday. They ended the regular season with seven victories and have now won 23 straight regular season contests dating back to 2013.

Former OUA rookie of the year Eugenie Lim Ah Tock was once again impressive, winning all four of her singles and doubles matches this past weekend to finish the season undefeated. More details.

Sharma finishes fifth at Don Mills Open

York University Lions cross country runner Suraj Sharma finished in fifth place to lead all Lions at the Don Mills Open in Waterloo on Saturday.

The fifth-year runner crossed the finish line of the 10-kilometre race with a time of 33:57 for the first top-five finish of his career and the first by a Lion since Esteban Clavijo finished fifth at the Queen’s Invitational meet in 2013. More details.

The York University Lions women’s rugby team defeated the Trent University Excalibur on Saturday by a score of 45-25 on the road in Peterborough, Ont., for their second win of the season.

The Lions rolled offensively with outstanding performances from Tobi Owotomo, who scored a game-high three tries, and Dorrian Khouri, who scored two.

Tia Anderson-Hudson and Sasha Seymour also added one try each to help put the game away from a persistent Excalibur team. More details on the York Lions website.

No. 10 Ravens defeat football Lions at annual Homecoming game

The No. 10 nationally ranked Carleton University Ravens used a strong running game to defeat the York University Lions by a score of 50-7 in the annual Homecoming game at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon.

Carleton scored touchdowns on its first two drives to take a 14-0 lead after the first quarter of play. On their third drive, they attempted to put more points on the board but kicker Mike Domagala missed a 40-yard field goal try and the score remained at 14-0.

The Lions defence settled in after that and forced three straight punts, and on the third one rookie defensive back Kadeem Thomas, returning kicks for the Lions for the first time on Saturday, electrified the home crowd with a beautiful 50-yard return touchdown in which he shed numerous tackles before falling into the end zone draped in defenders. The major made it 14-7. More details.

Field hockey Lions sweep weekend games against Waterloo and Western

The York University Lions field hockey team continued its strong play this season with two wins over the weekend when they defeated the University of Waterloo Warriors 4-0 on Saturday and the Western University Mustangs 1-0 on Sunday.

Their game against the Warriors was full of offence, with four different players getting on the scoresheet for York. All of the goals came in the first half starting with Michelle Per just three minutes into the contest, followed by Ravneet Kalkat in the 10th minute, Sydney McFaul in the 23rd minute and finally capped off by Mikhaela Slavin just before the end of the first half.

The Lions offence was far too much for the Warriors to contain and gave the Lions great momentum moving into their final game of the weekend against the Mustangs. More details.

Women’s tennis Lions extend win streak to 21 with weekend sweep

The York University Lions women’s tennis team stretched its Ontario University Athletics (OUA) regular season unbeaten streak to 21 ties this past weekend, with a sweep of its three matches.

The Lions began the weekend with a 5-2 win over their closest rivals in the Montreal Carabins, who topped the Lions in the OUA final last year for the team’s only loss since 2013. They followed that up with a pair of 7-0 shutouts over the Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday and the Carleton Ravens on Sunday.

Eugenie Lim Ah Tock went undefeated on the weekend, winning all three of her singles and doubles matches. In singles, she played twice out of the second spot, posting a dominant 6-0, 6-0 win over her Carleton counterpart, and she also defeated Toronto 6-3, 6-0. Against the Carabins she played in the third spot and won a close battle 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. More details.

Women’s soccer Lions earn pair of draws on the road against Windsor and Western

The No. 3 nationally ranked York University Lions women’s soccer team faced off against the University of Windsor Lancers on Saturday and the Western University Mustangs on Sunday, with both games ending in a tie. Saturday’s ended with a final score of 1-1 and Sunday had a 0-0 final.

In the first contest of the weekend, the Lions were facing adversity early in the game when the Lancers scored the first goal of the match in the 49th minute courtesy of midfielder Abby Hunt.

After falling behind, rookie midfielder Stephanie Lamanna made her way onto the score sheet with an unassisted goal in the 78th minute to earn a point in the match. More details.

Men’s soccer Lions pick up two draws in weekend action on the road

The No. 1 nationally ranked York University Lions men’s soccer team played back-to-back games this weekend. Saturday’s match took place at Alumni Field against the University of Windsor Lancers and ended with a score of 0-0, while Sunday’s match-up involved the Western University Mustangs at Mustang Field and also ended in a tie with a score of 1-1.

Saturday’s match-up against the Lancers saw another standout defensive performance from goalkeeper Daniel Gosciniak, who refused all three Lancer shot attempts on goal.

Sunday’s contest against the Mustangs proved more offensive. The Lions struck first blood by the foot of Jonathon Lao with an unassisted goal in the 25th minute. Lao now has three goals on the season. More details.

Cross country Lions finish 14th at Western International

The York University Lions women’s cross country team finished in 14th place at the 42nd annual Western International Invitational on Saturday afternoon at the Thames Valley Golf Club in London, Ont.

The meet was the team’s first of the season and saw the Lions racing in a field of 141 runners.

Second-year runner Nina Sieh was York’s top finisher on the 5km course, crossing the finish line in 69th place in a time of 19:59. The Lions also had multiple runners in the men’s 8km race, which had a field of 179 runners. York was led by Suraj Sharma, who was the 74th finisher in a time of 26:56. More details.

The York University Lions football team welcomes the No. 10 nationally ranked Carleton University Ravens to campus this weekend for their annual Homecoming game at Alumni Field.

Kickoff is set for 1pm on Saturday, Sept. 24, and the game can also be seen live online on OUA.tv.

Saturday’s visit by the Ravens marks the first time since Carleton restarted its football program that the team will be at York. The Lions have travelled to Ottawa twice to face the Ravens since they rejoined the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) in 2013, winning the first contest and losing the second, and there was one year in which the two teams did not meet in the regular season.

The Lions have been a different team at home than on the road, and will be looking to keep their momentum at Alumni Field going on Saturday against a tough Ravens squad that was as high as No. 4 in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) rankings, but fell to No. 10 this week. Both teams enter the contest with 2-2 records.

The Lions have been an offensive juggernaut at home, averaging 56.5 points per game through their first two contests at Alumni Field and 33.5 points overall on the season. They will need to move the ball effectively against the Ravens, who are putting up 32.3 points per game while allowing 23.8, compared to the 41 the Lions are allowing.

York’s two wins on the season include a 57-13 beatdown of still winless Waterloo in their season opener, and a 56-32 victory over a Windsor Lancers team that came into the contest on the heels of a big upset triumph over the defending OUA champion Guelph Gryphons. Their two losses, meanwhile, both came on the road against No. 10 Laurier and, most recently, the Toronto Varsity Blues last weekend.

Carleton has had an up-and-down start to its season against some tough opponents. They began with a loss to McMaster, but then immediately followed that up with an upset victory over the dominant Western Mustangs. They’ve since posted a lopsided 65-7 win over the Varsity Blues and then lost by a single point, 17-16, to the Golden Hawks last week.

Saturday’s contest will be a battle between two of the top quarterbacks in the OUA, York’s Brett Hunchak (Calgary) and Carleton’s Jesse Mills. They rank second and third, respectively, in passing yards per game this season and are two of only three quarterbacks in the conference to be averaging more than 300 yards per game.

The two squads also feature four of the OUA’s top five receivers. Hunchak’s favourite targets are his brother Colton Hunchak (Calgary) and Adam Adeboboye (Toronto), while Mills has Kyle VanWynsberghe and Nate Behar. All four of them are averaging more than 90 yards per game, and Behar and Hunchak are first and second, respectively, in receiving touchdowns with five and four.

In addition to the action on the field, there is plenty in store for fans in attendance at the stadium, including the $10,000 Punt, Pass, Kick contest at halftime, giveaways for the first 150 fans and inflatables.

Tickets can be purchased online at yorkulions.ca/ticketing in advance, or at the gate on game day.

Fourth-year midfielder Jonathan Lao scored in the 90th minute to help the York University Lions men’s soccer team extend its winning streak to seven games, with a 2-1 win over the University of Guelph Gryphons on Sunday at Alumni Stadium in Guelph, Ont.

The victory keeps the No. 1 nationally ranked Lions undefeated with a 7-0-0 record this year, while the No. 9 Gryphons were handed their first loss, and are now 3-1-2. More details on the York Lions website.

The win was the team’s second of the weekend, as they also knocked off the rival McMaster University Marauders by a score of 2-0 on Saturday afternoon.

After the two teams played to a scoreless draw in the first half of play, Dena Iezady scored two goals in an eight-minute span in the second for an insurmountable lead. The first came in the 64th minute, and the second one was scored in the 72nd minute. Both were unassisted. More details.

Women’s soccer Lions defeat Marauders to remain unbeaten

The No. 4 nationally ranked York University Lions women’s soccer team picked up its sixth straight win to start the season, with a 2-0 victory over the McMaster University Marauders at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Lions wasted little time getting the upper hand in this contest as Marilyn Grammenopoulos scored her first of the season less than six minutes in on a pass from Christina Morelli for a 1-0 lead.

The Lions maintained that advantage into the halftime break, and finally got an insurance goal in the 63rd minute off the foot of Kiyani Johnson, her fourth of the season. More details.

The following day, the Lions played to a scoreless draw with the University of Guelph Gryphons. Fourth-year goalkeeper Taylor Grant kept the door shut on the Gryphons, saving both shot attempts that Guelph had on goal. More details.

Football Lions fall to Blues in 47th Red & Blue Bowl

The University of Toronto Varsity Blues football team won its fourth straight Argo Cup with a 45-18 victory over the York University Lions in the 47th Red & Blue Bowl under rainy skies on Saturday at Varsity Stadium.

The win was Toronto’s first of the season to improve its record to 1-3. The Lions fell to 2-2 with the loss.

Second-year running back Kayden Johnson set an Argo Cup record with 32 carries and accumulated 207 yards on the ground to lead all players. He chipped away at the U of T defence relentlessly, with his longest run of the game coming in at just 16 yards. More details.

Women’s rugby Lions fall to top-ranked Marauders

The York University Lions women’s rugby team put up a strong effort but was ultimately defeated by the No. 1 nationally ranked McMaster University Marauders by a score of 42-13 on Friday night at the York Rugby Field.

The two teams played a tight first half that ended with McMaster leading by only nine points, at 17-8. But a strong second half by the defending Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) champions gave them their second win of the season. The Lions fell to 1-1 with the loss.

Catherine Belanger opened the scoring with a penalty goal for a 3-0 lead, but McMaster quickly responded on a try by Stephanie Black. More details.

It’s rivalry week for the York University Lions football team as the squad prepares to travel downtown to the University of Toronto to face the Varsity Blues in the 47th annual Red & Blue Bowl at Varsity Centre.

Kickoff is set for 1pm on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 17) and the game can also be seen live online on OUA.tv. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate on game day.

There’s more on the line than just a win in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) standings, as football supremacy in the City of Toronto is also up for grabs. The Lions are looking to reclaim the Argo Cup for the first time since 2012, when they upended the Varsity Blues 36-24 at Varsity Centre. Toronto holds a 29-17 head-to-head record over their uptown counterparts since the first meeting in 1970 and has won seven of the past eight since York won 12 in a row from 1996-2007.

The Blues won by a score of 40-3 at York Stadium last year.

The Lions enter Saturday’s contest riding a wave of momentum after a 2-1 start to the year, including a big 56-32 victory over the Windsor Lancers on home turf last weekend. The Varsity Blues, meanwhile, are 0-3 after a tough schedule to start the season that has seen them face three straight nationally ranked opponents in Guelph, McMaster and Carleton. They are averaging just 11.3 points per game while allowing 46 points per game.

The addition of new offensive coordinator Kyle Quinlan has paid immediate dividends for the Lions. The squad is currently averaging 501.3 yards per game, compared to just 343.6 last year, and has averaged 38.7 points per game, more than double the 15.1 from one season ago. The player who has benefited the most is second-year quarterback Brett Hunchak (Calgary), who has already thrown for 980 passing yards and eight touchdowns, and is the OUA offensive player of the week for the second time in three weeks.

The Lions also have two players ranked among the top seven in the OUA in receiving yards per game – Colton Hunchak (Calgary) is fourth with 108.7 and Adam Adeboboye (Toronto) is seventh with 99.7 – and two running backs with more than 135 yards this season in reigning OUA rookie of the year Jesse Amankwaa (Etobicoke, Ont.) and rookie Kayden Johnson (Kerrobert, Sask.).

U of T quarterback Marcus Hobbs, who took over the starting job this year after the graduation of Simon Nassar, is averaging 200 passing yards per game but has thrown five interceptions and is still looking for his first touchdown. The Blues’ leading receiver is Rahul Madan, who sits ninth in the OUA with 84.7 yards per game.

The Lions will next be in action at home the following weekend for their annual Homecoming game, where they will welcome the nationally ranked Carleton Ravens to Alumni Field for the first time. Kickoff is set for 1pm on Saturday, Sept. 24.

The York University Lions football team recorded its second lopsided victory of the season on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 10) with a 56-32 win over the visiting Windsor Lancers at Alumni Field.

The Lions exploded for 644 yards of offence, with second-year quarterback Brett Hunchak (Calgary) going 33-for-42 for 540 yards and three touchdowns. His favourite target was fourth-year receiver Adam Adeboboye (Toronto), who had the best game of his career with 216 yards on 11 receptions and a touchdown.

With the win the Lions improve to 2-1 on the year, while the Lancers fall to 1-2.

The Lancers got on the board first with a rouge but on the ensuing drive York kicker Nick Naylor (Abbotsford, B.C.) was good on a 25-yard field goal for a 3-1 lead, and the Lions added to it on their next turn with the ball with the game’s first touchdown. Hunchak led his team on an eight-play, 101-yard drive that was capped by a one-yard touchdown run by Jesse Amankwaa (Etobicoke, Ont.) for a 10-1 advantage after the first quarter of play.

Windsor responded on its first drive of the second quarter, scoring a touchdown of their own on a three-yard rush by running back Tarrence Crawford, but the Lions got their nine-point lead back after second-year tight end Nikola Kalinic (Etobicoke, Ont.) scored on a beautiful 50-yard catch and run play to make the score 17-8.

The Lancers added a field goal and Naylor scored a rouge for an 18-11 York lead at halftime.

The Lions blew the game open in the third quarter, scoring 21 unanswered points to take a commanding 39-11 lead into the final frame. Just a few minutes in, rookie running back Kayden Johnson (Kerrobert, Sask.) rumbled into the end zone for his first career touchdown, and later in the quarter second-year receiver Colton Hunchak (Calgary) made a beautiful catch and ran into the end zone for a 59-yard touchdown, his third of the season.

Naylor also added his second field goal of the game and a pair of rouges, and the Lancers conceded a safety in the quarter.

Just before the end of the third, with the Lancers threatening to score and the ball on the three-yard line, fifth-year defensive back Josh Small (Pickering, Ont.) made a huge play, strip-sacking Windsor quarterback Jalen Brady to give the Lions the ball. Hunchak completed a 66-yard pass to Adeboboye on the next play, but the drive ended in a punt.

Naylor connected on his third field goal of the game for the first points of the fourth, and Crawford rushed for his second touchdown of the contest a few minutes later for a 42-18 York lead. He had 166 yards on 28 carries in the game.
On the next drive, the Lions went for it on 3-and-1 from near midfield and Johnson rushed straight up the middle and all the way to the end zone for a 45-yard score and his second touchdown, putting the game well out of reach at 49-18. He finished with 57 yards on six carries.

Windsor scored two late touchdowns and Adeboboye got on the board between those two to round out the scoring.

Colton Hunchak also had another big game, picking up 138 yards on eight catches and the one touchdown.

Next up for the Lions is their biggest game of the season against the rival University of Toronto Varsity Blues in the 47th Red & Blue Bowl next Saturday (Sept. 17) at Varsity Centre, while the Lancers are heading into their bye week.