Lions looks to rediscover winning ways in Windsor

They were that close.

A goal from McMaster's Mia Paiement in the dying moments of stoppage time in Sunday's contest at York Lions Stadium ripped a pair of points away from the York University Lions women's soccer team, forcing them to settle for a 2-2 draw, already their second tie of the season.

Now, the Lions will head to Windsor to battle the Lancers in their lone game of the weekend, looking to find their form in a rematch of the opening round of the 2024 playoffs.

That game – the 4 vs. 5 match in the OUA West – was won by the Lions on a 68th-minute marker from the now-departed Brianne Desa. That goal, and the win that accompanied it, spearheaded what was nearly a cinderella run for the Lions to the OUA championship and a berth at the national tournament. It also avenged a disappointing season series for York. The Lancers took both matches in the regular season, winning 3-1 at York Lions Stadium before earning a 1-0 victory two days later on their home pitch.

Some 11-and-a-half months after their last regular season meeting and 10-and-a-half after their playoff encounter, the two teams will match up Friday night in what is a critical early-season affair. The Lions, with just one win in their first four matches, will look to earn a pivotal three points against a Lancer team that has gotten off to a solid start in 2025. Windsor – sitting at 2-1-1 on the season, has bounced back nicely from an inauspicious opener in which they lost 3-0 to Guelph. Since, they've tied the Gryphons, and earned a pair of 1-0 wins over the Waterloo Warriors.

The positive for York – those wins came over a Waterloo team which has yet to find the win column, sitting at 0-3-1. The Lions next two matches – against Windsor and Waterloo – could go a long way in deciding their postseason fate. Following those games, the Lions face the Gryphons, the Western Mustangs twice and the Brock Badgers twice over the final five games, before rounding out the season with the Algoma Thunderbirds.

All that to say: while we're only a third of the way through the OUA season, to steal a line from the legndary Yogi Berra, 'it gets late early.' Yes, there's plenty of time to go, but a crucial six points are available for the Lions over the next week, and that all starts Friday night in the city South of Detroit.

Kickoff from Windsor Alumni Stadium is set for 6:00 pm. The game is available free of charge on OUA.tv.