#MavericksInCanada Blog: Post #7
by Cole Nelson
Hello, Maverick fans, this is #18
Cole Nelson giving you our last update from our trip to Canada. With our stay coming to an end, I want to express our team's gratitude to all of those who made this possible, inside and outside of the program. It was an incredible experience exploring a diverse culture and bonding with my brothers, all while taking massive strides towards getting prepared for the season ahead. I can't explain how much this meant to us, and it is definitely a time we will never forget!
Our final day started with an 8:15 a.m. breakfast buffet at the hotel. Our fancy meal consisted of tiny smoothies, strawberry-banana French toast and made-to-order eggs. After breakfast, we immediately hopped on the bus and took off to a local private school for our final game. The sun was intense and the heat index was overwhelming, but that wouldn't stop the Mavs from completing our fourth win in as many games.
We played Vaughan SC, a team that was composed of college players who returned home to Toronto to play for the summer. The team was full of talented players, with many of them playing at top NCAA Division I programs throughout the school year. It was probably our best outing in Canada, with the team displaying unmatched energy, determination and organization. The 3-1 win was highlighted by Nil Ayats' first career UNO goal, Diego "Guti" Gutierrez's weak-footed laser into the top corner and
Elvir Ibisevic's cool slot into the open net after embarrassing a defender.
Denzel Woods is also coming home with a nice memento in the form of staples on the top of his head after a collision with a Vaughan player!
After the game a bunch of the boys watched the Belgium vs. Japan game together in the lobby. Belgium was the eventual winner, coming from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2. Sorry, Japan! Most of the team then participated in a seemingly routine afternoon nap before meeting at 7 p.m. to go over travel details for our trip home. Following the meeting, the guys split up to grab dinner and explore Toronto.
Once the sun set, it was time for the bikers to come out. Our nighttime ride was rather short, but we were able to see a lot. We headed straight to the coast of Lake Ontario, where we saw a number of yachts and sailboats. Then we rode past the Rogers Centre and the iconic CN Tower, finishing our ride at the Toronto City Hall.
Since I know they will read this, I'd like to give a quick shoutout to my mom and dad, my brother, Tyler, and my grandparents.
Well, it's been fun, Canada, but it's time to say goodbye. Omaha, we will see you tomorrow, and we can't wait to see you, Maverick fans, at Caniglia on Aug. 11 against Creighton!
Check out previous entries from the #MavericksInCanada blog below:
#1 -- Bonjour, Montreal! (June 26, Stevie Siy)
#2 -- A Visit to Saint-Hubert (June 27, Diego Gutierrez)
#3 -- Exploring Canadian Culture and Cuisine (June 28, Matt Smith)
#4 -- Bike Life in the City (June 29, Billy Hoffmann)
#5 -- An MLS Match in Montreal (June 30, Seth Rinderknecht)
#6 -- Next Stop, Toronto (July 1, Ethan Bowman)
For more from the Mavericks' training tour of Canada, follow Omaha Men's Soccer on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.
