Gemini keeper Davis’ dream of a goal represents shout out for all the shutouts

The 2026 TVRA Southeast Tier II champion Tillsonburg Gemini girls soccer team following a 6-0 shutout victory over Woodstock. St. Mary’s Warriors. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Post Correspondent

Call it a shout out for all the shutouts.

A soccer goalie since the age of 10, Tillsonburg Gemini keeper Elysse Davis has had a companion dream of finding the back of the opposing net.

“It took me four years to get there,” smiled Davis after rounding a 6-0 Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) Southwest Tier II girls’ soccer championship victory over the visiting Woodstock St. Mary’s Warriors Tuesday, May 19 at the Tillsonburg Minor Soccer Park.

She and Gemini striker Kaia Spanjers had an agreement, namely that if Tillsonburg should get four goals ahead of an opponent, they would switch positions. Davis had a chance to score during a game the previous season, however it, along with her dream, were cut short.

With the Gemini leading comfortably in this year’s Tier II championship game, she welcomed the opportunity to try again in the final high school soccer game of the graduating Grade 12 student’s career. Used to having goalposts be her best friend, an earlier 12-yard strike found the bar to the Warrriors keeper’s right. Davis made the most of a second chance however, running onto a Callie Emmerson through-ball, and getting a 12-yard scoring shot off between two converging defenders up and under the crossbar.

“She just knew where to put it,” commented fellow Gemini Sophia Monsere, the team’s foremost goal-scoring authority. “It was good, the proper place.”

“I know where goalies don’t like it,” Davis added with a smile.

Monsere finished with a hat-trick to fuel Tillsonburg’s attack, she and Kherrington Spanjers giving the Gemini a 2-0 lead at the half. Monsere added two second-half goals and Kaia Spanjers the other Tillsonburg marker, heading into the Gemini goal for a guest appearance where she also completed the shutout.

“She had more shots than I did,” Davis credited. “I had zero - she had two and a slow roller.”

The two teams had played to a 0-0 draw during the regular TVRA season eight days earlier, Tillsonburg capping its playoff run with a dominant performance.

“I think we just really wanted it a lot more today than we did in season,” said Brooklyn Diaz. Like Davis, she is a graduating Grade 12 student, enjoying her final high school game with many girls she’s played together with since they were eight or nine years old.

“I think we all wanted to finish strong and all together.”

The Gemini had talked to each other on the day said Monsere, communication which had definitely helped.

“Nice way to finish,” she added. “It definitely showed our hard work paid well.”

“It was a great way to finish the season,” agreed co-coach Kristin Czerniawski, echoing Monsere’s comments about communication and playing as a team. “A lot of growth.”

A warm, sunny day was a nice change to the weather experienced through much of the season added co-coach Vanessa Neves, equally proud of the growth the team had displayed through the season.

“Even the younger ones,” she concluded, “you could see their confidence skyrocket.”

TVRA Boys’ Baseball

The TVRA Boys’ Baseball quarter final was Tuesday, May 19 in Dorchester, and the Gemini

“It was just a game where their hits found some holes and ours seemed to be right at their players,” said coach Derek Partlo. “They were a young, scrappy team that put the bat on the ball and pressure on our defence.”

Playing a little tight at first, the Gemini settled down said Partlo.

“Later, we had runners on base all the time, we just didn’t have the big moment to get us back in the game, and we couldn’t keep them from scoring.”