Round #6 of the 2014 AFLO season saw both teams playing away games. The Men were in Toronto to face the Dingos, while the Ladies had to drive a bit further to face the Hamilton Wildcats.
Men Win!
Swans 15.7.97, Dingos 8.8.56
Round 6 was another see-saw battle at Humber College South, with the Ottawa Swans eventually taking the 4 points against the Toronto Dingos. With this victory, it takes the Swans to 3 wins and 0 losses on the road so far, which may prove invaluable later in the season.
A brilliant first quarter saw the Swans get the jump on the Dingos to register a 32 point return on the scoreboard. Luke Walsh was instrumental with a 3 goal haul. The midfield got on top early and provided excellent service with Tom Stafford and Matthew Powell getting plenty of the football. Mike Kozlowski got into the game immediately and was a key target at CHF with some strong marking.
Clearly the Dingos were not ready to lie down, and to their credit, came out firing in the 3rd quarter with a 5 goal haul of their own. A lack of accountability from the Swans was coupled with this increased effort from the Dingos.
Coach Frank asked the Swans’ leaders to stand up, and the response was fantastic. The 2014 Leadership Team of Mike Kozlowski, Darren Roffey, Jay Goldhawk and Ronan Shaugnhessy proved they not only can make significant contributions as players, but also can motivate the team to “step it up”.
In the end, good hard contested footy was on display from both teams, but the Swans’ ability to clear from contested situations and link-up was the difference. Some wonderful individual efforts from Brendan Woods, Guy Rocher and Alex Huard were highlights.
Special mention goes out to Jay Goldhawk on 50 games for the Swans. A champion player through and through!
First Loss for the Ladies
Wildcats 3.4.22, Swans 1.3.9
The Lady Swans traveled to Hamilton to play the Wildcats this past weekend. At the end of the day (really long day) they did not come away with the win, but they did gain valuable experience that will hopefully translate to a strong second half of the 2014 season.
This was the first opportunity this year for the Ladies to play full field, with 15 players per side. With very minimal interchange, both teams had to push through the heat and hope their fitness held up. Newer players who in past games had the benefit of subbing off for valuable, timely feedback did not have this luxury. Kelly Kennedy specifically adapted well to these circumstances.
The Swans’ lone goal was scored by Vivian Nguyen, who took advantage of a 50 m penalty and lined it up perfectly between the tall posts. Holly Costanza, Emma Dickinson and Aimee Legault worked tirelessly in middle to try and move the ball forward. The consistent “Back Pack” had a strong showing, despite the loss.
Perhaps it was the long car ride to Hamilton, but the Lady Swans were a bit slow to start. The 4th quarter saw fantastic efforts from the Swans with most of the play in Hamilton's defensive end. This offensive serge was sparked by a 3rd quarter pep-talk from both the Legault sisters. In the end, one strong quarter is not enough.
The Ladies look forward to playing the Cats again, this weekend, at home. The top spot in the league will be awarded to the winner.
We are officially half way through the season, and what a start it has been! Both the Men and Ladies sides have had historic starts, the Club has never been this high on the ladder at this point. They want to take this time to say THANK YOU to their sponsors (St. Louis, Tasman and Lorne Scott), their volunteers and their fans who all have contributed to this strong start.
The Swans’ will continue on their quest for a spot in the Finals this weekend, where both teams will take on the traveling Hamilton Wildcats.
Cheer, Cheer the Red and White!
Last Modified on 11/07/2014 01:23