By Reegan MacAulay
The Holland College Hurricanes experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows among four varsity clubs to begin October.
From a massive women’s rugby victory to more men’s soccer heartbreak, the weekend was filled with playoff previews and statement-makers.
Here’s what went down this weekend - Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5 - for the Holland Hurricanes in the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) and Atlantic Football League (AFL).
Women’s Soccer
The women’s soccer Hurricanes made one thing clear in front of their fans to start October - they are the favourites to win it all heading into the 2025 ACAA Women’s Soccer Championships later this month, which they’ll host.
In the span of two days, at the Terry Fox Sports Complex in Cornwall, P.E.I., the squad captured its third weekend sweep of the season, recorded its sixth shutout, and extended its point streak to nine games. Still leading the conference, now with an 8-1-1 (wins-losses-ties) record, they continue to make massive strides since a tough semifinal loss last year, especially the sophomores.
“Last season, we were a young team, and our first-year players realized what it takes to compete and play,” head coach Jonathan Vos said after Sunday’s win against STU. “They had a mission coming into this season to improve themselves and be more competitive, and they’re showing that.”
Saturday, October 4th – 3-1 W vs. UNBSJ Seawolves
The Hurricanes started the weekend strong against the fifth-ranked UNBSJ Seawolves on Saturday, with leading scorer and second-year midfielder Karissa George (New Glasgow, P.E.I.) getting on the board in the ninth minute. She would later extend Holland’s lead by two in the 35th minute. UNBSJ caught a break with a Haley Coleman goal in the 62nd minute, but third-year winger Kristyn Taylor (Traveller’s Rest, P.E.I.) sealed the deal for a 3-1 Hurricanes win with an insurance marker in the 81st minute.
The Hurricanes improved to 7-1-1 on the season, while the Seawolves dropped to 3-4-0 (they later rebounded on Sunday against Dalhousie to regain an equal win-loss record of 4-4-0).
Sunday, October 5th – 4-0 W vs. STU Tommies
It was a déjà vu start for Holland against STU on Sunday, with another early-game goal by George in the first minute. The next 66 minutes went scoreless as each team traded opportunities, but the Hurricanes were slightly better in playmaking, possession, and defense.
Between the 67th and 76th minutes, they exploded for three goals; George fired a high shot over the goaltender for her fourth goal on the weekend, and Taylor piled on two more, including a successful penalty kick, to close out a 4-0 victory, their second against the now 5-2-1 Tommies.
“I thought we started strong and connected our passes well, finding the space and creating some lines,” head coach Jonathan Vos said about the game. “The opposition then dropped off on us with a lot of time on the ball. We struggled a bit to break them down, but we had possession, so it was still pretty comfortable for us. We made a few adjustments at halftime, and it opened the gate for us. The girls pressed hard, and the subs contributed well.”
George and Taylor each hit career-high statistics on Sunday, with George reaching eight goals and 18 points after 10 games, and Taylor amassing five goals and 10 points, which ties her numbers from last season but in two fewer games. Vos acknowledged their performances and leadership after Sunday’s match.
“They’ve both been performing well. They’re the players we’ve relied on to create opportunities and to get our goals. They keep sticking to the process, and we’re lucky that we moved Karissa (George) higher up the pitch, because she can strike the ball well, and she’s shown that the last two games.”
Fourth-year goaltender Jordyn Pratt (Calgary, Alberta) started both games, improving her campaign record to 4-0-1.
The Hurricanes have two games remaining in the regular season to hold onto the first seed heading into the ACAA Championships, currently sitting two points ahead of an undefeated MSVU Mystics squad. After taking Thanksgiving weekend off, Holland will visit Crandall University in Moncton, N.B., on Oct. 18 to face the Chargers and return home for their regular-season finale against the Dalhousie Rams on Oct. 19.
Cconnect with the women’s soccer Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/caneswsoccer and www.x.com/caneswsoccer.
Men’s Soccer
The men’s soccer Hurricanes will have to wait another year to return to the ACAA Men’s Soccer Championships, with back-to-back losses on home turf this past weekend mathematically ending their playoff ambitions for a second consecutive season.
With Holland having played 10 games and recorded six points thus far, versus a fourth-place MSVU Mystics squad with 13 points after nine games played, a weekend sweep in Holland’s final two remaining regular-season games wouldn’t be enough to clinch a playoff spot.
Despite the tight, heartbreaking results, there was certainly no lack of effort in attempting to make miracles happen, as both Saturday and Sunday’s matches were decided by one goal.
“It’s been frustrating that some of the results (this season) haven’t gone our way, but this has been one of the better groups to work with over the years,” head coach Jonathan Vos said after Sunday’s game. “The guys have given their all and committed to the program. They’ve set the standard for this team and this program. When they take their jersey off at the end of the year, they’re going to leave it in a better place.”
Saturday, October 4th – 2-1 L vs. UNBSJ Seawolves
Holland’s must-win urgency showed early with a Hurricanes goal in the 20th minute. An incredible pass by rookie midfielder Kai Nurse (O’Leary, P.E.I.) to the front of the net for third-year full-back Colby Munro (New Glasgow, P.E.I.) gave Holland a 1-0 lead, which stayed firm till halftime.
The second half saw a significant momentum swing in favour of UNBSJ, which was helped by a goal in the 53rd minute. On a Seawolves rush to the Hurricanes' net, second-year goaltender Kole MacWilliams (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) charged out of his crease to block an opportunity for Joseph Napier-Ford, but Ford chipped the ball over MacWilliams for the 1-1 equalizer.
After 25 more minutes of intense defensive action, Gavin Merrick broke the deadlock for UNBSJ in the 78th minute, grabbing a feed from Napier-Ford through net-front traffic and firing home the game-winning goal.
The Hurricanes regressed to a 2-7-0 record, while the Seawolves extended their winning streak to three games. They went on to defeat Dalhousie on Sunday, returning home with a 6-2-0 record.
Sunday, October 5th – 3-2 L vs. STU Tommies
The second-ranked STU Tommies, looking to end a recent scoring slump, controlled much of the first half of Sunday’s match offensively and defensively. Holland rarely saw time on the Tommies’ end, except for one play that ended with a shot off the post. In the 26th minute, the Tommies capitalized on a corner kick to lead 1-0, with Nana Osei Boons finishing the play with a far-side header. The score remained 1-0 STU till halftime.
In the second half, Holland slowly gained momentum and had luck go their way, turning the game into a back-and-forth melee. MacWilliams turned up his performance with some crucial game-saving stops.
The Hurricanes showcased great resilience within the 55th minute; after an own goal that extended STU’s lead by two, rookie winger Hatem Al Masri (Daraa, Syria) wired a high screamer from 18 yards over the Tommies' goaltender to quickly regain Holland’s confidence. A similar instance happened between the 80th and 81st minutes, as Nurse answered a 3-1 STU goal (Sylvan Carriere) with a penalty kick goal.
When extra time was applied after regulation (90 minutes), the Hurricanes did everything they could to exit the weekend with at least one point, but a lack of finishing sealed the deal for a Tommies win, upping their record to 6-1-1, and another postseason absence for the Hurricanes (now 2-8-0).
“Two goals we gave up were in close and in the box. We have to get a little tighter in the man-marking there and try to deny crosses better,” Vos said. “Those are disappointing, but we certainly created a few more chances in the second half. That’s a big indicator, goal chances for and against. I know we definitely had a couple of chances we would’ve liked to see go in.”
While there will be no playoffs for the Hurricanes this year, they still have two regular-season games left to end the season on a high note and honour their graduates, with a trip to Moncton, N.B., on Oct. 18 to challenge the Crandall University Chargers, and a home-turf finale on Oct. 19 against the Dalhousie Rams.
Connect with the men’s soccer Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/canesmsoccer and www.x.com/canesmsoccer.
Women’s Rugby
The women’s rugby Hurricanes have secured home-field advantage for the 2025 ACAA Women’s Rugby Championship Semifinals after claiming a hard-fought 17-12 victory against the Mount Allison Mounties on Sunday, Oct. 5, in Sackville, N.B.
In a rematch of a previously close match between the two teams last month, which Holland also won, the Hurricanes jumped to a 17-0 lead before halftime. Rookie full-back/fly half Hannah Somers (Summerside, P.E.I.) and second-year centre/wing Shaiyan Pyfrom (Charlottetown, P.E.I.) each scored tries. Third-year scrum half Bri Hughes (Shamrock, P.E.I.) added a two-point conversion. The Mounties attempted a comeback rally in the second half, but could only come as close as five points back of Holland.
Rookie back row Hannah Whalen (Vernon Bridge, P.E.I.) was named the Hurricanes’ player of the game for her aggressive play and strong support of her teammates.
The Hurricanes improved to 2-1 (wins-losses), while Mount Allison concluded the regular season with a winless 0-4 record. Holland has one game remaining before the playoffs, with a visit to Fredericton, N.B., on Sunday, Oct. 19, to try and hand the unbeaten UNB Reds their first loss.
Connect with the women’s rugby Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanesrugby.
Football
The football Hurricanes were unsuccessful in their first tussle against the top-ranked UNB Reds this season on Saturday, Oct. 4, in Fredericton, N.B., falling short 36-16.
The score remained 0-0 after one quarter, but the Reds came flying out of the gates in the second quarter with a passing touchdown with 6:28 remaining; the ensuing PAT was good, putting UNB up 15-0.
Several minutes later, with 2:17 left in the quarter and the first half, a rushing touchdown and successful PAT extended UNB’s lead to 22-0. Just 19 seconds later, Holland struck back, with rookie quarterback Ben Chomolok (Parksville, B.C.) feeding third-year receiver Aaron Mcardle (Kinburn, Ontario) for a Hurricanes touchdown. At halftime, the score was 22-7.
High-level defense by both sides kept the score at 22-7 throughout the third quarter. That changed early in the fourth quarter, as Chomolok passed the ball to third-year receiver Keiler Purcell (Mineville, N.S.) for another Hurricanes touchdown, closing the gap to 22-14 after a good PAT. Holland’s continuous hustle then led to a turnover in Reds territory and a later safety, putting the deficit at six (22-16).
Ultimately, that’s all the Hurricanes had left in the tank, as the Reds recorded two quick touchdowns and PATs en route to the game win.
The Reds’ perfect regular season continues, now with a 4-0 record, while Holland dropped to 1-3 but still hangs on to third thanks to a Saint John Falcons loss against Dalhousie.
The Hurricanes return to action next Saturday, Oct. 11, with a road trip to Saint John, N.B., to battle the Falcons. Please note that this game was initially scheduled for Sunday, October 12, but has been recently rescheduled.
Connect with the football Hurricanes at www.facebook.com/canesmfootball, www.x.com/canesmfootball and www.instagram.com/canesmfootball.
Connect with the Holland Hurricanes at www.hollandhurricanes.com, www.facebook.com/hollandhurricanes,www.x.com/hc_hurricanes and www.instagram.com/hollandhurricanes.
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Tel: 1-800-446-5265 | Fax: 902-629-4239
