Capers defeat SeaHawks 4-1 in AUS men’s soccer semi-final

SYDNEY – Sparked by a three-goal performance from first-team all-star Owen Sheppard (St. John's, NL), the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers defeated the Memorial SeaHawks 4-1 in a semi-final match at the 2023 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Men's Soccer Championship – presented by Bell – on Friday afternoon at Ness Timmons Field on campus.

With the victory, the Capers will play for their seventh consecutive conference banner on Sunday – at 4 p.m. ADT – versus the winner of a semi-final match between the STFX X-Men and UNB Reds. 

In the first half, the Capers garnered an early scoring opportunity, but Sebastian Cochrane (Toronto, ON) could not finish a cross from Jacob Spizzirri (Woodbridge, ON); he was unable to test SeaHawks keeper Louis-Charles Vaillancourt (Sherbrooke, QC).

In the sixth minute, CBU garnered consecutive corner kicks, with the best scoring chance coming on the second one, when Jamie Nicholson (North Petherton, UK) got a head on a ball from Cochrane.

Midway through the half, the Capers put together a handful of scoring opportunities, including one coming off a sensational run down the wing and cross from Spizzirri.

In the 35^th minute, CBU broke the scoring seal, when AUS first-team all-star Owen Sheppard (St. John's NL) collected a long lead pass from Cochrane, and then got a step on his Memorial defender before blistering a strike under the crossbar behind Vaillancourt.

The Capers led 1-0 at halftime.

In the early minutes of the second half, the sides exchanged free kicks, but both came up empty, with the best scoring chance of the exchange coming from a Memorial header by fifth-year senior defender Harry Carter (St. John's, NL).

In the 55^th minute, defender Alexandre Nunes (St. John's, NL), with a left-footed strike from just outside the 18-yard box, tested the CBU defense, but freshman defender Elijah Le (Vaughan, ON) deflected the shot out of play.

The SeaHawks, in the 62^nd minute, evened the contest when defender Matt Hargest (Kitchener, ON) found Colin Connors (St. John's, NL), at the top of the box – 20 yards out, who fed a streaking Jacob Grant (St. John's, NL). The senior forward then belted a strike that sailed over the left hand of CBU keeper Daniel Clarke (Milton Keynes, England) to knot the contest 1-1.

Less than two minutes later – in the 64^th – Sheppard collected a loose ball in the 18-yard box, off a Cochrane free kick – and ripped home a knee-high volley that eluded Vaillancourt to restore the CBU edge – now at 2-1.

In the 72^nd minute, the Capers tried to extend their advantage, but Vaillancourt made a sensational stop on Nicholson, who streaked in off the left wing.

Sheppard, with his third marker, gave the home side a 3-1 lead in the 80^th minute.

Caper captain Zé Cunha (Cascais, Portugal) sealed the victory with a penalty kick goal in the 88^th minute.

Sheppard earn the player of the match nod.