August 4, 2005 W-League Toronto Lady Lynx season summary (from Toronto Star website)

Aug. 4, 2005. 01:00 AM

Lady Lynx satisfied with first season

DONOVAN VINCENT
SPORTS REPORTER

It was a blast while it lasted.

But the Toronto Lady Lynx's successful first season ended this past weekend with their 2-0 playoff loss Sunday to the Ottawa Fury Women in the United Soccer Leagues W-League eastern conference final.

Head coach Brett Mosen, who coached men in the USL for nearly 10 years before getting on board with the Lady Lynx this season, was pleased with his club's effort on and off the field, despite the weekend setback.

"Of my 10 years in the USL, I have to say this has been one of the most pleasurable seasons I've had," Mosen said in an interview this week.

From the ashes of the defunct Toronto Inferno, a squad that finished 3-11 last year, the Lady Lynx — new name, new owners — turned their fortunes around, going 11-3 in this, their first year in the league, making the playoffs, which were held in Ottawa.

But their opponents in the eastern conference championship the next day were no pushovers. Ottawa finished the regular season 13-1, and had beaten Toronto in their two regular season meetings, one a 5-0 pounding in June. The Lady Lynx finished second to Ottawa in the regular season in the eastern conference's northern division standings.

With the win Sunday, Ottawa moved on to the USL W-League championships in New Jersey this weekend, with New Jersey, Ottawa, Vancouver and Central Florida going for it all.

But one big question mark next year for the Lady Lynx will be whether Mosen, who's coaching on loan from the Oakville Soccer Club, returns as head coach for Toronto.

If he does return, Mosen says there are some changes the team needs to make to improve.

"We're three or four players away from being a serious contender for a title. We're a young side that lacked a bit of maturity," he said.

He also wants to see the club attract a larger base of support, although he noted the club's average of about 1,500 for home games this season is a good start to build on for next year.

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