There will be no last-minute semifinal heartbreak for the Acadia Axewomen.
First-team Atlantic university all-star Jenna Boudreau contributed to both of Acadia's goals Friday as the top-ranked Axewomen blanked the No. 5 UNB Reds 2-0 in the first semifinal of the soccer conference championships in Sydney.
Halifax's Boudreau, a fifth-year striker seeking her first AUS banner, scored in the first half and, in the 53rd minute, fired a cross into the UNB box which was tipped into the net for an own goal. Boudreau was named player of the match.
Sarah Charnock posted the shutout.
Through Boudreau's first three seasons, Acadia reached the conference final only to lose - twice to Cape Breton and, in 2016, to St. F.X. on penalty kicks. Last year, the Axewomen were expected to return to the final but they dropped a 1-0 decision to X in the semifinal. The game's only goal came on a penalty kick in the 90th minute.
But they return to the gold medal game for the fourth time in five years against a familiar foe - CBU.
The two-time defending conference champion Capers upended the sixth-ranked Memorial Sea-Hawks 2-0 in Friday's other women's semifinal.
Mackenna King scored late in the first half and Amelia Carlini collected the insurance marker in the 68th minute for the No. 2 Capers. Rachel Yerxa stopped all three shots on target for the victory in goal.
MUN was coming off an upset victory of the No. 3 X-Women - 2-1 in penalty kicks - in a Thursday night quarter-final. St. F.X. had entered the match without a loss in 12 regular-season games (7-0-5).
The women's final is slated for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
In the AUS men's soccer semifinals at CBU, the three-time defending conference champion and top seeded Capers delivered a 2-0 victory over the No. 5 Saint Mary's Huskies.
Charlie Waters scored 42 seconds into the second half and Cory Bent added another 10 minutes later for Cape Breton, which has yet to lose this season (10-0-2 in the regular season). Ben Jackson earned the easy shutout.
The Capers will face No. 2 St. F.X. in Sunday's final, which follows the women's championship, at 4 p.m.
The X-Men defeated the UPEI Panthers 3-1 Friday evening. Dan Hayfield and Tane Caubo were the scorers for X, which also was benefited by a UPEI own goal.
