By Reegan MacAulay
The 内射大奶 Hurricanes enter their first weekend of playoff competition for this collegiate athletics season, with four fall sport clubs ready to peak at the perfect time and bring home regional championships. Outside of playoff action, volleyball is back and on the road!
Here’s how everything will unfold across the Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) and Atlantic Football League (AFL) on Saturday, Oct. 25, and Sunday, Oct. 26.
Women’s Soccer
The women’s soccer Hurricanes have proven over and over that they’re primed for more than just a bounce back after a heartbreaking overtime loss in last year’s semifinals.
The ACAA regular-season champions are set to not only chase their eighth Atlantic crown and their second within three years, but also host the 2025 ACAA Women’s Soccer Championships this weekend at the Terry Fox Sports Complex in Cornwall, P.E.I.
After achieving a league-leading 10 wins and an overall 10-1-1 record in 12 regular-season games, the squad may be the championship favourite on paper, but, after last Sunday’s victory against Dalhousie, head coach Jonathan Vos discussed how equally strong the top four teams are.
“All the top four teams are very competitive,” Vos said. “We’ve had close games with all of them. With us, it’s making sure that our habits are good, we’re thinking of both sides of the ball, offense and defense, and our decision-making is quick. Going into (the championships), making sure that, no matter what happens, we’re ready to deal with anything; whether it’s down a goal, up a goal, no matter what it is, we keep that focus on us.”
As the first seed, the Hurricanes will experience an early wakeup on Saturday morning with their semifinal match starting at 10:00 a.m. against the fourth-seed University of New Brunswick Saint John (UNBSJ) Seawolves (6-5-1), who seek vengeance after also losing in last year’s semifinals.
Against UNBSJ, the Hurricanes swept the regular-season series with a 1-0 win on Sept. 14 in Saint John, N.B., and a 3-1 victory on Oct. 4 at home. Including that series, the Seawolves have yet to suffer a loss with more than three goals against. Considering Holland’s final three games had them score four or more goals and not allow any, this could be an interesting game that may come down to defensive supremacy.
Second-year midfielder Karissa George (New Glasgow, P.E.I.) and third-year winger Kristyn Taylor (Travellers Rest, P.E.I.) remain the talk of the town after career-best regular-season campaigns, which ended with a combined eight goals across two games. George will be chasing her first ACAA championship. While it’s been two years since Taylor last experienced regional glory, on top of a national bronze on home soil, her previous experience will be an important asset that her teammates can feed off.
Secondary scoring saw an uprise last weekend, with rookie forward Yuki Komine (Urayasu, Japan), second-year fullback Anna Kennaley (Bridgeville, N.S.), and fourth-year fullback Carrie Docherty (Belfast, P.E.I.) all putting their names on the scoresheet in last Saturday’s 6-0 win against Crandall. Keep an eye on third-year midfielder Kina Azuma (Tokyo, Japan) and second-year winger Cassandra Forsuh (Bamenda, Cameroon), each joining Taylor as the only other remaining players from the 2023 championship-winning squad.
Whether fourth-year goalkeeper Jordyn Pratt (Calgary, Alberta) or second-year goalkeeper Tasha Kowalchuk (Meadowbank, P.E.I.) gets the nod this weekend, both have proven to be capable of coming in clutch in net when they must.
If the Hurricanes win on Saturday, they will advance to the championship game on Sunday, which starts at 12:00 p.m., and play either the second-ranked Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU) Mystics (9-1-2) or the third-ranked University of King’s 内射大奶 (UKC) Blue Devils (7-5-0).
ACAA Soccer Championships tickets per game are $10 for adults, and free for 内射大奶 students and anyone else under 18. Tournament programs are $2 each.
All matches will be webcast at .
Follow the 2025 ACAA Soccer Championships at and .
Connect with the women’s soccer Hurricanes at www.instagram.com/caneswsoccer and www.x.com/caneswsoccer.
Women’s Rugby
The women’s rugby Hurricanes (2-2) vie for a major turnaround in this Sunday’s ACAA Women’s Rugby Championship semifinal game after a tough ending to an overall 2-2 regular-season campaign.
The second-ranked squad concluded it with a 102-5 loss to the top-ranked and undefeated University of New Brunswick (UNB) Reds (4-0) last Sunday, Oct. 19, in Fredericton, N.B.
Holland will face the third-ranked Mount Allison Mounties (0-4) for the third and final time this season on Sunday at the Co-Op Field in Charlottetown, P.E.I., at 2:00 p.m., seeking their first finals appearance and championship victory since 2023.
The Mounties went winless in all four of their regular-season matches, with 20-17 and 17-12 losses coming against the Hurricanes.
Whoever wins will battle UNB for the ACAA title next Sunday, Nov. 2, in Fredericton, N.B.
Keep an eye on third-year centre Annik Whiten (Charlottetown, P.E.I.), who was named the most recent Hurricanes Female Athlete of the Week for playing a big leadership role, making the most tackles of any player, and setting up Holland’s only try during last Sunday’s match.
Connect with the women’s rugby Hurricanes at .
Cross Country Running
The cross-country Hurricanes will be kept busy for another weekend as the 2025 ACAA Cross Country Championships are set to commence this Saturday, Oct. 25, at Victoria Park in Truro, N.S.
There will be significant momentum for both the women’s and men’s teams, which each logged season-best finishes at the third and final regular-season meet last Saturday, Oct. 18, in Moncton, N.B.
Emilie Doucette (female) and Benjamin Perrin (male) placed fourth overall in their respective groups, each with strong finishing times and close differences from first place. Both will lead the way as the other females seek their best finishes yet, and the entire men’s squad look to build off an impressive season-first podium finish in team results.
Hosted by the Dalhousie Rams, the 2025 regionals will begin with a course walkthrough at 11:20 a.m., followed by the women’s and men’s races. The women take off at 12:30 p.m. for a six-kilometre (6km) run, with the men hitting the ground at 1:30 p.m. for an eight-kilometre (8km) run.
Connect with the cross-country Hurricanes at .
Football
The football Hurricanes (3-3) have a rematch for the ages on the horizon, one that they ride higher into than ever before.
After stunning the UNB Reds (4-2) on home turf last Saturday to end the regular season, forcing the Reds to miss out on finishing first in the final standings, they will clash with them one more time in semifinal action amidst the quest for the Moosehead Cup (AFL Championship) this Saturday, Oct. 25, at the BMO Centre in Fredericton, N.B., at 1:00 p.m.
While the Reds are chasing their fifth championship and second within three years, the Hurricanes have been on a cold streak for a decade and are hungry to write a Cinderella story. If they get the job done this Saturday, it would be their first gold-medal game appearance since 2019.
After last Saturday’s electric victory against the Reds, head coach Aaron MacIsaac said all the pressure is on UNB.
“(UNB) came into this game in first place in the league, and we were supposed to go to Dalhousie,” MacIsaac said. “They came in, we played them hard, and we got the win. So now, the momentum shifts to us. We’re going back to Fredericton and we’re just going to play our football, fly around, have fun, and win a football game.”
The winner of this Saturday’s match will face either the top-ranked Dalhousie Tigers (5-1) or the fourth-ranked Saint John Falcons (0-6) in the Moosehead Cup Finals on Saturday, Nov. 1. If Holland defeats UNB, their only chance at home-field advantage is if Saint John upsets Dalhousie.
Saturday’s game will be broadcast on .
Players To Keep An Eye On…
Ben Chomolok (rookie quarterback, Parksville, B.C.) – Named the AFL Week 6 Holland Hurricanes Offensive Player of the Week. Has been crucial in setting up plays, notably feeding rookie receiver Mha’ki Hill (Halifax, N.S.) for a touchdown against UNB last Saturday.
Gavin Giddings (second-year defensive back, Saint John, N.B.) – Named the AFL Week 6 Holland Hurricanes Defensive Player of the Week.
Keegan Cardona (second-year receiver, London, Ontario) – Named the AFL Week 6 Holland Hurricanes Special Teams Player of the Week. Executed a career-defining performance in what was likely his final home game last Saturday, stealing the ball after a missed field goal attempt by UNB in the final minute and running from end-to-end for the game’s equalizer (a full-field touchdown).
Connect with the football Hurricanes at www.facebook.com/canesmfootball, www.x.com/canesmfootball and .
Women’s Volleyball
The women’s volleyball Hurricanes begin a new season this weekend with a road trip to Saint John, N.B., on Sunday, Oct. 26, to challenge the UNBSJ Seawolves at 12:00 p.m.
After falling short in last year’s ACAA Women’s Volleyball Championships semifinals on home court, the highly-experienced squad eyes redemption in the hunt for their first regional title and nationals berth since 2023.
With multiple players with three or more years of experience back in the lineup, including reigning Most Valuable Player Jenna O’Neill, Top Offensive Player Charlotte Sweetapple, Top Defensive Player Abby MacDonald, Citizenship Award recipient Samantha Payne, and Jamie Spencer, there will be lots of leadership to count on to carry the fort.
Watch Sunday’s game live at acaa.tv.
Connect with the women’s volleyball Hurricanes at and .
Men’s Volleyball
The men’s volleyball Hurricanes will also head to Saint John, N.B., this weekend to start the 2025-26 season, with the difference being that they will play a doubleheader against the UNBSJ Seawolves, compared to the women’s single match.
Holland and UNBSJ will duel on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 4:00 p.m., and Sunday, Oct. 26, at 2:00 p.m.
The men also fell victim to the STU Tommies in semifinal action at the McMillan Centre last season. They have a much bigger championship drought to snap, having gone five consecutive seasons without regional glory, previously emerging as a titleholder in 2019.
The elite duo of reigning Hurricanes Male Athlete of the Year Carson Gray and Tyler McBride, each entering their fourth year, are back to wreak havoc across the conference. Other familiar names that’ll provide crucial support include Brett MacAusland, Wason Bulpitt, and Liam Galway.
Catch both games live at acaa.tv.
Connect with the men’s volleyball Hurricanes at and .
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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