The women’s soccer team finished their regular season with a win and a tie, beating the Nipissing Lakers 6-1 on Saturday and tying the Laurentian Lady Vees 2-2 on Sunday.

The Gaels finished the season first in the OUA East with a 13-1-2 record. Their first-place finish comes with a first-round bye, so the Gaels won’t play until Saturday. Their opponent will be determined after the first round on Wednesday night.

Forward Jackie Tessier scored two goals in the 6-1 win over the Lakers on Saturday.

“It could have been much more than that if we had been more efficient,” head coach Dave McDowell said.

The Gaels outshot the Lady Vees 19-8 in Sunday’s 2-2 tie. Rookie defender Jessie De Boer scored in the 75th minute to put the Gaels ahead, but the Lady Vees tied it up with 10 minutes left.

“In the end, it’s all about how many goals you put in,” McDowell said. “Not how much you dominate or how many chances you create.”

Although they won 13 of 16 games this season, goalkeeper Chantal Marson said the Gaels won’t be overconfident heading into the playoffs.

“With playoffs, it’s one and you’re done,” she said of the OUA sudden-death postseason format. “We need to focus on each single game as opposed to looking too far ahead.”

Last year, the Gaels made it to the OUA final but lost 1-0 to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. They beat the Golden Hawks in the national final a week later.