By Luis Ramirez Ozejo
With the OCAA moving so fast into its final stages, there is no time for regrets, and the Colts know that very well.
Despite drawing against the Loyalist Lancers last Saturday, Rich Hirst's side is already focusing on another key home game against the Durham Lords on Tuesday night.
Centennial players are aware that getting a good result in this match will grant them the possibility to qualify for the playoffs.
"Getting at least a draw gets us into the knockout stage starting Oct. 16," said midfielder Jessa Braun on a pre-game interview. "There's still lots of work to do because based on our previous game and the number of chances we generated, the result against Loyalist should have been 5-0, but we just couldn't get it in."
Despite both teams playing recently, the conditions will be very different, which could be a positive factor for the squad.
"I know a lot of my teammates really like the cooler weather," added Braun. "I'd way rather play in 30-degree heat, though I'm pretty sure that's just me, if the cold weather helps the team win, I'll take it."
Any ally is welcome when facing a very physical team like Durham, especially when they are currently undergoing a winning streak of two games.
The team put on a stellar performance Saturday, maintaining their strength throughout the 90 minutes. Centennial was unlucky in front of goal, but that shouldn't take away from the team's successful ability to apply constant pressure against the Lancers, which was a challenge considering the small gap they have in between games to recover.
During her interview, Braun also revealed that she has been playing injured, which is not an ideal scenario by any means but shows her commitment to the Colts.
"The match schedule is a monster," said the midfielder. "I played Saturday with a pulled hamstring because I haven't found time to properly take care of myself."
"I shook the pain off through the game but could hardly walk after. It's just stressful to know your body has to be ready for another game right away on Tuesday."
Being this their last regular game of the season, securing a playoff spot means Centennial will have more than 10 days to rest before returning to action fully charged. Just one final push!