The wait is officially over.
After a stressful final few weeks of the Manitoba Major Soccer League Division 3A regular season, Stonewall United officially clinched a postseason berth on Sunday.
It came down to the final minutes of the final regular-season match for United, who were taking on the 10th-place Hanover Sting at Stonewall Veterans Memorial Sports Complex.
United went up early off a setup play from Chris Dobson that reached Kevin Penner, the eventual goal scorer.
Leading 1-nil at the half, United were unable to break open the scoring as they had in their previous meeting with Hanover — a 6-1 win the week before.
It remained a one-goal contest deep into the match until David Deroche finally provided the insurance marker.
Deroche’s tally sealed a 2-nil victory and a playoff spot for United.
“A lot of control, a lot of good plays by a lot of different players, we just weren’t burying them,” said United’s Matt Olnick on Monday. “Their goalie was making some saves, but I’m still happy with the effort front to back. I feel like we had a really good game, a complete game, which was good to see at this time of the year.”
United ends the regular season on a four-game winning streak and will be one of the hottest clubs when the playoffs kick off Thursday, Sept. 25.
Had it not been for that string of victories, United would likely be hanging up their cleats as Elmwood and 313FC were also battling for a playoff spot.
Instead, United did what they needed to do and now enter the postseason brimming with confidence.
“We’ve got a lot of guys clicking, a lot of guys playing really well right now, and we want to continue that momentum and carry it into the playoffs,” said Olnick. “We’re excited for the test and whoever we might face, but the way we’re playing right now we feel like we can beat anybody.”
Playoff matchups are still to be determined, but United do know they will get a week off before the action begins.
They will then play Thursday, Sept. 25 in one of two round-one matches that evening, with the winners advancing to the semifinals.
All Div. 3A round-one matches will take place at Ralph Cantafio Soccer Complex in Winnipeg.
