Gee-Gees named Champions of RSEQ Indoor Soccer League, Delev named league MVP

The RSEQ has named uOttawa as the champions of the indoor soccer league for 2020, and announced six Gee-Gees among its league all-stars. Highlighting the all-star announcement is Katerine Delev, who was selected as the league's Most Valuable Player.

Delev's selection as MVP is significant as it reflects her overall game – the third-year midfielder scored just two points, a goal and an assist, in the season. Delev, a management student who hails from Chelsea, Que., was named on OUA second team all-star in her rookie year and earned a place on the U SPORTS All-Rookie team. 

"Delev showed leadership and maturity in her play this year," explains Gee-Gees head coach Steve Johnson. "Her positional play and decision making were fantastic this winter. She is showing the awareness necessary to be an efficient holding midfielder and link the back line to our forward play. She is a selfless player who is always going to put herself on the line for the team and I am so happy to see her performances rewarded."

There was one game remaining on the eight-game regular season schedule for the Gee-Gees when the COVID-19 shutdown began on March 13. The team had compiled a 6-1-0 record and were in first place heading into that final match against McGill (2-2-3). UQTR finished second in the standings with a record of 6-2-0 but were defeated by Ottawa in head-to-head play, 4-0.

Overall, Ottawa outscored its opponents 26-3 with five shutouts in the seven games played.  

"We had a really successful indoor season. We were able to give everyone an opportunity to play and grow. Our younger players continued to develop and contributed heavily to our success. They showed impressive flexibility as players, with several playing two to three different positions throughout the season," said Johnson.

The Gee-Gees had four players named to the First Team of All-Stars: second year goalkeeper Hillary Damman, first-year defenders Trinity Esprit and Adriane Devlin, as well as Delev at midfield. First-year forward Soumaya Bouak and Angelina Gendreau, a second-year forward, were named to the Second Team of All-Stars. 

Gendreau led Ottawa in scoring with five goals in six games played, with Bouak contributing two goals in five matches. The Gee-Gees had thirteen players record a goal, and seven players with two or more goals.

Ottawa joined the RSEQ indoor league, which runs from January-March, in 2019 and remain members of the OUA for outdoor league play in August-November. Laval had won seven straight RSEQ indoor championships before Ottawa's success this season. The Gee-Gees were 4-1-2 in 2019, bowing out in the league quarterfinals.