North London Galaxy won its third-straight Ontario Cup in the women’s senior division with a 4:1 victory over St. Catharines Jets. The victory qualifies North London for another run in the BMO National Championships Jubilee Trophy competition. Last year, North London won silver in the national competition after coming up a goal short in the final to Nova Scotia’s Halifax City.

'We made it to the dance last year, but came up a goal short,' said North London head coach Gus Bazos. 'This year, we have something to prove.'

Emily Costello and Alexandra Charlebois scored in the first half before Kate Bazos and Shelina Zadorsky followed up in the second half of the OSA final. In between the third and fourth North London goals, Kristin MacDonald scored for St. Catharines. The match was much closer than the 2008 Ontario Cup final in which North London won 6:0.

'St. Catharines was much better prepared than last year, however we played our best (first) half all season,' said Bazos.

In the final, Bazos’ starting XI featured Lesia Bandura in goal, Emily Costello, Fatima Braimoh and Chelsea Doughty on defence, Kelly McMahon, Laura Roberts, Kate Bazos, Jenna O’Hara and Susie Moussa at midfield, and Alexandra Charlebois and Shelina Zadorsky up front.

Now, North London turns its attention to the Jubilee Trophy competition where it hopes to become the first Ontario club to win the national title since Oakville in 2002. North London has 11 players on its roster that took part in last year’s Jubilee Trophy competition.

The Saskatchewan Soccer Association will host the 2009 BMO National Championships this 7-12 October in conjunction with Saskatoon Adult Soccer Inc. Both the Challenge Trophy (senior men) and Jubilee Trophy (senior women) competitions will take place in Saskatoon, SK.

So far in 2009, British Columbia’s West Van FC, Alberta’s Calgary Callies, Saskatchewan’s Huskie Alumni, Manitoba’s Hellas SC, Québec’s Beauport, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City, Prince Edward Island’s Avondale Islanders and Newfoundland Labrador’s Holy Cross have qualified for the Challenge Trophy competition. In the Jubilee Trophy competition, the eight-team field is complete with British Columbia’s Surrey United, Alberta’s Edmonton Victoria, Saskatchewan’s Saskatoon NATA, Manitoba’s South End United, Ontario’s North London Galaxy, Nova Scotia’s Halifax City, Nova Scotia’s Halifax Dunbrack and Newfoundland Labrador’s EPR Kirby/The Dock.

BMO Financial Group is proud to support soccer at all levels across Canada, from grassroots to Canada’s national teams. Starting with sponsorship of more than 400 Canadian youth teams to the title support of elite youth players at the BMO National Championships, through to the professional-team support (Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC) and sponsorship of the Canadian men’s and women’s national soccer teams, BMO Financial Group is serious about Canadian soccer. For more information on BMO’s support of soccer in Canada, visit bmosoccer.com.