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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, September 1, 2016 | 40 O a kv i lle seven Defending champion Blue Devils beat first-place Sigma FC in League1 play Despite sitting sixth in the eight-team West Division in League1 Ontario soccer play, the defending champion Oakville Blue Devils can still play at an elite level. Sigma FC, hoping to replace Oakville as league champs this season, found that out last Sunday at Sheridan College Stadium. The Blue Devils blanked the division leaders 2-0 despite having to play with only 10 men on the field for most of the game. Filipe Vilela and Judah Hernandez scored the Oakville goals in the 69th and 78th minute, respectively, after netminder Karman Saini was red-carded in the first 30 minutes of the match. "We had a reasonable cause to win and we are at the point in the season where we are improving our play," said Oakville head coach Duncan Wilde. "So we are very pleased with that. It was also incredibly difficult in that heat." Wilde added that the disadvantage in manpower, combined with Sigma's youth and movement, added up to a tough 90 minutes. "But I think we stuck to our task, our tactics were right and the performances from our core players were good," Wilde said. Sigma head coach Bobby Smyrniotis was unmoved by the disappointing result. "I thought it was an interesting match," he said. "Oakville is a good team and we came into it missing a few more of our more senior players so we had to move things around a little bit." Sigma holds first position by the slimmest of margins, only a point up on FC London, which has three matches in hand. The two division winners (East and West) will meet for the league title, a new format since the league switched to two divisions this season. "Now we get the chance for one or two more bodies to get back," said Wilde. Oakville can help in Sigma's pursuit of first place with a win over second-place FC London in its next game, Friday, Sept. 9 on the road. The Blue Devils edged Toronto FC Academy 3-2 Aug. 23 in Vaughan on goals by Hernandez, Tarik Roberts and Blake Jones. Seven Oakville players competed at the recent Under-18 Women's National Field Hockey Championships in Brampton, playing for either the Ontario Red or White teams. They include (from left) Nicole Mastantuono (White), Maddie Osgarby (Red), Victoria VanSickle (White), netminder Elizabeth O'Hara (Red), Katie Lynes (Red), Nicole Hicks (White) and Emily Hong (Red). Ontario Red, which won four of five games they played, was led by Osgarby, the tournament's top scorer with seven goals. Hong added five as Ontario Red finished with a silver medal. B.C. Blue defeated Ontario Red 2-0 to win the gold medal. Ontario White was eliminated in the quarter-finals by B.C. Yellow. | photo submitted The Greatest sp en cer s OAKVILLE SOCCER CLUB it h g n o o o o o o o Lo Weekend! pa r k ng to m n Friday, Sept. 2nd to Monday Sept. 5th Labour Day Weekend Spencer Smith Park, Burlington 19 ribbers · over 30 musical acts kids zone · crafters · free admission CanadasLargestRibfest.com A Fundraising Initiative of Burlington Lakeshore bu li r Week Fifteen Photo Contest Winner: Photographer: Diane Tassone Age Division: GU8 - HLDP Spray Nine Oakville Beaver A Proud Sponsor of Oakville Soccer Club Sponsored by: