Jessica De Filippo secured a goal early in the game, leading the Vancouver Rise to a crucial 1-0 triumph over the Montreal Roses in Northern Super League play on Saturday. This victory marked Vancouver’s second consecutive road win against a playoff-bound team, following their 2-0 victory over the Ottawa Rapid earlier in the week.
With a record of 11-7-6, the Rise head into the final week of the inaugural season of the Canadian professional women’s soccer league holding a three-point lead over Ottawa and Montreal, both at 10-8-6, for the second spot in the league standings among the six competing teams.
Toronto has already locked in the top position in the standings, while Vancouver, Montreal, and Ottawa have secured the remaining three playoff berths. The teams are set to face off in two-leg semifinals based on next week’s results to determine the finalists. The championship match is scheduled for November 15 at Toronto’s BMO Field, where the victor will claim the Diana B. Matheson Cup.
Goalkeeper Morgan McAslan delivered a standout performance with three saves, earning her second consecutive clean sheet for the Rise. In another match on Saturday, Meggie Dougherty Howard netted two goals as the Calgary Wild defeated the Halifax Tides 3-1 in a clash between eliminated playoff contenders. Grace Stordy also contributed a goal for the Wild, improving their record to 8-14-2, while Syd Kennedy scored for Halifax, who finished at the bottom of the table with a record of 3-14-7.
