What a campaign for OSC’s Women’s OPL Program!
OSC’s second Ontario Premier League (formerly League1 Ontario) campaign came to a close this past August, and the Women’s Program continued its upward trajectory throughout 2026. The OPL2 Team earned a 4th place finish that saw the team score 9 more goals and secure 2 more points than its inaugural 2025 campaign, while the OPL3 team finished 3rd, and the U20 team made it to their league finals. Even with strong on-field results, Coach Garrett Peters weighed in on what determined progress for his side, “A key success of the season was the integration of our younger players. Numerous 2008 and 2009 athletes earned significant OPL2 minutes, while exceptional U16 players were also able to gain experience competing above their age group. This commitment to player development continues to be a cornerstone of our program,” continuing, “The greatest achievement from 2026 was seeing our pathway in action, with players progressing between teams and earning opportunities at higher levels. The growth, development, and competitive success across OPL2, OPL3, U20s, U17s, and U16s is a testament to everything we are doing at the club!”
Peters certainly backed his words, with the team going above and beyond the U23 player minutes requirements, accumulating 16,676 U23 minutes compared to the mandatory 6,500 set by the league. In fact, the team was one of the youngest in OPL, but new faces did not deter from a great start to the year. Signs were positive for this group early, as the season started with a thriller by the lakeshore in Round 1 of the OPL Cup. The group battled hard and won in penalties against Pickering, with goals from Faith Garcia in the first half, and Sienna Dodgson in the 90th minute. As Peters detailed, the opening round win led them to face “…Waterloo, a First Division opponent, in the second round. In a hard-fought match, the team battled toe-to-toe until the closing stages, eventually falling 1-0 after a tremendous performance that showed the character and potential of this young group.”
Using this positive momentum, the team showcased that great potential and started league play in terrific form, scoring 8 goals, conceding just 3, and going undefeated with 3 wins through their first 4 matches. As the season progressed, the team continued to impress, and would go on to lose just one game in the 2nd half of 2026, even capping off the campaign with a commanding 6-0 victory over Unionville-Milliken SC. This final game was highlighted by a 4-goal performance from Nassima Benmessaoud, which solidified her spot as the joint top scorer for the OPL2 division alongside Pickering FC’s Brianne Desa. The award was well deserved by Benmessaoud, who joined Faith Garcia with in-season honours on the squad. Garcia took home OPL Star of the Month for April with her strong start and two goals across league and cup play. These two stars joined Russell, Braich, Godoy-Atrash, Richards, and Hawkins with team of the week recognitions during the season.
Captain Abbie Russell, who was in strong form throughout 2026, applauded her group in review of the campaign, detailing “I thought our season went well, from the start everyone came ready to go! Throughout the season, it was amazing to look at how we improved and grew together. Having a young team, we showed a lot of maturity, determination, and willingness to improve every week! I am proud of what we accomplished and am thankful for the support from our coaches, the club, and all the fans. I can’t wait to see what we bring next season!”
With a young core and a number of positive takeaways from the 2026 campaign, OSC has already begun its preparations and is hard at work getting ready for 2027. With the potential to clinch promotion to the top flight ahead of them in the coming year, the OPL2 Women have a tremendously exciting goal to chase as they set their sights on the next campaign. Peters exhibited high hopes for the season to come: ” As we look toward 2027, we are excited to bring back a more experienced group, welcome returning university athletes, and continue building on the momentum created this season. The future is bright for Oakville Women’s Soccer.”
