Sea-Hawks edge Axewomen 1-0 to advance to AUS semifinals

By Corey LeBlanc

(SYDNEY, N.S.) Zoe Rowe (Conception Bay South, N.L.)—the conference's most valuable player this season—notched the lone goal in a hard-fought 1-0 victory for her Memorial Sea-Hawks (#4) over the Acadia Axewomen (#5) in the first quarterfinal match of the 2025 Bell Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Women's Soccer Championship, presented by Protocase, at CBU's Ness Timmons Field on Thursday afternoon.

Rowe, a first-team AUS all-star, soared to head home a nifty cross from Jennifer Milligan (Strathroy, Ont.)—a second-team AUS all-star—in the 78th minute. Her shot deflected off the crossbar and in behind Acadia keeper Milena Ramirez (Wolfville, N.S.).

In a tightly contested opening half, Acadia garnered the territorial advantage, but they could not test Memorial keeper Leana Claude (Grenchen, Solothurn), who had plenty of help from a stout backline led by Anke Wijnbergen (Leeuwarden, NED).

The teams were scoreless at halftime.

In the second half, the Sea-Hawks had the territorial edge, with first-team all-star Claire Langille (Windsor Junction, N.S.) making a handful of runs, but she could not find any of her mates with crosses into the 18-yard box. She also had to contend with the quality defending of AUS all-rookie team member Hannah Richardson-MacKinnon (Timberlea, N.S.).

After the Memorial goal from Rowe, the Boston Pizza Player of the Match, Acadia attempted to press but the scoring chances were few. On one Riley Bonadie (Ottawa, Ont.) strike from the top of the 18-yard box, Claude made a diving save—her best of the contest.

In the late going, after Claude punched away a high volley into the six-yard box, Acadia garnered a scoring chance but Wijnbergen cleared the attempt from the goal line, and the rebound hit the outside of the net.

With the victory, the Sea-Hawks move on to the semifinal round, where they will face the top-seeded Dalhousie Tigers on Friday, Oct. 24, at 1 p.m.