SARNIA – Bringing some championship pedigree to The Den.
Midfielder Alexis Wylie has officially announced her commitment to Head Coach Kevin Simmonds and the Lambton Women’s Soccer Program for the 2023 season.
Wylie is the seventh member of the 2023 recruiting class for Simmonds and his coaching staff. Come September, Wylie will join the likes of Lauren Goldsack (London, Ont.), Maddy Forte (Sarnia, Ont.), Charlize Wildschut (Sarnia, Ont.), Darlene Forbes (Sarnia, Ont.), Madison McAlpine (Sarnia, Ont.), and Morgan Colameco (Sarnia, Ont.) as a newcomer with the Lions.
“Emotions are high and I’m very excited,” said Wylie with a smile. “My coaches and teammates from other teams are all super excited, especially the girls that I coach, who all can’t wait to come to watch and support the Lions.”
Wylie comes to Lambton College from Dorchester, Ontario. The five-foot-nine versatile midfielder attended Lord Dorchester Secondary School, where she helped the Beavers claim back-to-back Western Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (WOSSAA) and Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Associations (OFSAA) ‘A’ Championships in 2022 and 2023.
This past season, Wylie and the Beavers claimed the WOSSAA title with a 4-1 win over Holy Cross in the Championship Game. The Beavers outscored their opponents by a 14-2 margin at WOSSAA, cruising to their second straight regional title.
Then, at the OFSAA Championships, which were held in London, Wylie and company picked up right where they left off at WOSSAA. Eager to defend their provincial title from a season ago in Belle River, the Beavers were faced with some early adversity with a 3-0 defeat in pool play at the hands of De La Salle College (Toronto, Ont.).
Still, Wylie and the Beavers finished second in Pool A with a 3-0-1 record, advancing to the knockout stages as a result. A win over Père-René-De-Galinée (Cambridge, Ont.) in the semifinals set up a rematch with De La Salle College in the Gold Medal Game. The match needed penalty kicks, but Wylie and Lord Dorchester got their revenge with a 2-1 win to successfully defend their championship.
As she gets set to continue her soccer journey at the collegiate level, Wylie made it known that she’s willing to do whatever she can to help bring some of that championship pedigree to the Lions.
“I have a lot of skills on the field, it just depends on who we’re playing and what type of game it is,” added Wylie. “I can be aggressive and hold my own up there, or if we’re in the box on corner kicks, I’ll throw my body in front of that ball and do whatever it takes to keep the ball out of our net.”
Academically, Wylie will be enrolled in the Esthetician Program at Lambton College.
The Lions are coming off a rebuilding year in 2022. With many newcomers put into key roles as early as the first weekend, the Lions had to adjust to the collegiate game on the fly, and getting their feet set underneath them posed to be a challenge, at times.
Heading into the 2023 season, Simmonds and the Lions will be looking to use that gained experience from last season to their advantage. With the addition of Wylie to the mix, equipped with her versatility and recent championship experience in OFSAA, the group is building towards an exciting future that will kick off in September.
Welcome to The Den, Alexis!