OSHAWA, Ont. – In their final regular season home game of the season, the UOIT men's soccer team fell just short dropping a 1-0 decision to the OUA eastern conference leading Carleton Ravens.
 
Carleton (12-1-2) has won seven straight games and is ten points ahead of the Toronto Varsity Blues (8-1-4) for first place. UOIT (6-5-3) remains in third place, two points ahead of Laurentian (6-6-1) and Ryerson (6-6-1) and three points ahead of Queen's (5-5-3), all of which have a game in hand on the Ridgebacks.
 
UOIT will wrap up conference play next weekend with road games against the Laurentian Voyageurs (Saturday) and Nipissing Lakers (Sunday).  Despite the loss, the Ridgebacks could lock up a playoff spot this weekend depending on results on Sunday.
 
Carleton's game-winning goal came in the 61st minute off a bullet free kick from OUA leading scorer Gabriel Bitar. It was Bitar's second chance at the free kick, as his first attempt was blocked by a hand ball from the Ridgeback wall. He made no mistake on his second attempt as he dipped one over the wall and in the top left corner of the net.
 
UOIT struggled to break through the Carleton defence as they only managed four shots in the match. One of those shots came in stoppage time when the ball was lobbed in and banked off the football uprights just above the crossbar.
 
The Ridgebacks' defensive unit was also impressive as only four of Carleton's 16 shots were on target.
 
The loss puts an end to UOIT's five-game point streak.
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE RIDGEBACKS
Overall Record: 6-7-3
Conference Record: 6-5-3
 
Next Game: Saturday, Oct. 21 vs. Laurentian (3:15 PM – Sudbury)