It rained heavily — but not on the Vancouver Rise’s title chances.

The British Columbia side were crowned the 2025 Diana B. Matheson Cup champions after a 2-1 win over AFC Toronto in the Northern Super League’s championship match on Saturday at BMO Field in Toronto.

Kaylee Hunter started the scoring, marking yet another major milestone in a whirlwind first professional season. But, two second half goals from Nikki Stanton (later deemed a Sierra Cota-Yarde own goal) and Holly Ward competed the comeback for the the Rise and denied AFC Toronto a potential double.

The league’s historic inaugural Final had its payoff delayed for 30 minutes as Canadian domestic soccer once again wrestled with mother nature, though the downpour of precipitation was met equally by an outpouring of support from NSL supporters’ groups from across the country.

The Vermillion Vanguard would be the happier at first as Kaylee Hunter slotted home the game’s first, 19 minutes in. The 17-year-old, having outpaced even the highest expectations in her rookie pro season, lashed the ball between the legs of Rise goalkeeper Morgan McAslan to lift the red half of the 12,429 fans in attendance.

The goal also settled some early nerves for head coach Marko Milanovic’s side, after Hunter hit the side netting ten minutes earlier on an exquisite Emma Regan cross amounting from the second phase of an early wide free-kick.

Kaylee Hunter opens the scoring in the NSL Final! ⚽ pic.twitter.com/Nr2xQrrD6N

— Northern Super League (@NorthernSuperLg) November 15, 2025

It was also an unfortunate effort for McAslan to give up, having made a stunning full-extension save on AFC Toronto skipper Emma Regan just four minutes earlier.

Emma Regan with a killer chance on net ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/7YW14g1eVN

— Northern Super League (@NorthernSuperLg) November 15, 2025

An injury midway through the first half to Rise midfield pillar Quinn after a collision in the centre circle with AFC Toronto’s Esther Okoronkwo looked to make a difficult start even worse for Vancouver. But, as the rain descended on the lakeshore, the tides turned for the Rise.

Perhaps buoyed by the almost stereotypically-British Columbia weather in the middle of an Ontario autumn, Anja Heiner-Møller’s side emerged from the 30-minute weather delay — for torrential downpour — with the upper hand.

Jasmyne Spencer perfectly positioned herself on the end line to deny Okoronkwo from close-range before the half-time break. Then, Nikki Stanton, Quinn’s first-half replacement, and Holly Ward tipped the scales fully in the Rise's favour.

In the 53rd minute, Stanton delivered a corner flush down Toronto’s end line. With the ball kicking off the slick pitch thanks to the earlier rainfall, Toronto keeper Sierra Cota-Yarde was unable to stop the ball from bouncing in off the post from the American’s service.

Game on! A Vancouver corner finds the back of the net! ⚽ pic.twitter.com/19rUYrggWh

— Northern Super League (@NorthernSuperLg) November 15, 2025

14 minutes later, five-cap winger Holly Ward latched onto the ball after a lung-busting run from inside her own half. She beat fellow Canadian national team option Zoe Burns for pace before depositing a low finish at the northern end.

Holly Ward goes all the way, Rise lead! pic.twitter.com/tbhXTOH7rg

— Northern Super League (@NorthernSuperLg) November 15, 2025

Late chances promised intrigue until the final whistle as Toronto continued to push forward. However, time would ultimately run out as Hunter, Okoronkwo and company tried to forge an equalizer and force extra time, cementing Vancouver Rise's spots in the record books.

Third time not the charm for AFC Toronto

Despite running the table at York Lions Stadium this season, earning 20 points from 10 games at their official home pitch, Toronto were unable to exorcise their summer demons, falling for a third time in three matches at BMO Field.

AFC Toronto had previously fallen 1-0 to the Montréal Roses in their season opener, held at BMO Field, before again dropping a 1-0 decision to the same Rise that beat them on Saturday, in August, during the Canadian National Exhibition.

That August loss stung in the mind of head coach Marko Milanovic, who admitted after their semifinal triumph over Montréal that Saturday would be an opportunity to make good on the defeat, in which they had played with a player advantage for over 50 minutes.

With not avenging that result in this instance, it becomes even more notable that just two days previous, the club announced they would be shifting half their home allotment for the 2026 season to BMO Field.

Ironically enough, it was Vancouver Rise head coach Anja Heiner-Møller’s reaction that said it the best.

“I just want to say, we see that in the Women’s Super League in England, like those small steps [to move from smaller to larger stadiums] there, they’re huge. Credit to the City of Toronto, let’s have more of that in all the cities here.”

Milanovic’s side will have an entire offseason to become further familiarized with the pitch by the lakeshore, but it’s a ‘curse’ that will linger until they finally earn their first win at the venue —- though AFC’s head coach was quick to brush it off after the final whistle.

“I fully expect us to be seven (wins) and three (losses) after next year.”

Fine margins in individual battles

Both teams during their Thursday morning Media Day availability highlighted the importance of ‘winning their individual matchups’.

Though less of an individual sport compared to, say, baseball, single moments from eventual Finals MVP Morgan McAslan, Jasmyne Spencer and Holly Ward all tilted the tie back towards the west coast-ers, adding up to a resurgent team performance.

McAslan weathered the less-than-complimentary goal Hunter scored on her, credited for six saves on the way to her Finals MVP nod. However, it was a non-save in the second half that carried the Waterdown, Ontario-born shotstopper through the full 90 minutes.

“Honestly, I think the one that was offside against Esther, even though it was offside, I feel like it would have been a big save,” McAslan explained to reporters after the match. She added, going through her mind in the moment, “I was kind of like, ‘Okay, I’m in the game, I’m ready to make a big save. I’m here when my team needs me.’ I feel like their striker stepped up and I was ready.”

Meanwhile, on the offensive half of the ball, Vancouver Rise skipper Samantha Chang was glowing, namely for goalscorers Nikki Stanton and Holly Ward taking their chances when needed.

“We didn’t have that many chances, but we were really clinical on the couple chances we had, so it is just the small margins of [Ward] putting one away, [Stanton] putting one away, winning a tackle on midfield or on the back line that set us apart today. I think we took care of the small details and it all went our way today.”

What’s next for AFC Toronto and the Vancouver Rise?

Naturally, with the end of the inaugural Northern Super League season — all 80 matches up and down —- both teams were retrospective on what were individually incredible campaigns, not just for themselves, but for growing the sport of women’s soccer across Canada.

On a night where the league and its clubs, players, and staff celebrated the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and knocking on doors, names like Emma Regan and Samantha Chang, representing a class of Canadian players who all made the decision to come home and jump into new beginnings, had the final say.

“This league, it’s been a long time coming, and all credit to Diana Matheson for getting it actually going, setting it up, and bringing people in that care about women’s sports and women’s soccer specifically, care about growing the league and the developing players in Canada.

When I heard about it, I knew that it was something that I wanted to be a part of, and I’m so grateful that we got the opportunity to be a part of the first ever [domestic Canadian women’s soccer] league. We hit a lot of milestones this year playing in the first ever game and now winning the first trophy, it feels so full circle for us.”

Vancouver Rise co-captain Samantha Chang

For those that landed back on Canadian shores, many were also afforded the first time in years, and possibly even decades, to play in front of friends, family and loved ones.

“I think just meeting some of them after the game, win, loss, draw, they were out there for us this season so we really appreciate it,” commented Emma Regan.

And, there’s more in the pipeline still to come.

Before the match, MPs Adam van Koeverden, Evan Solomon, Melanie Joly and Gregor Robertson, along with several league brass, were convened in the media room down one of BMO Field’s many hallways. 

Making the occasion of the NSL Final, the quartet were on hand to announce a major $5.45 million investment from the Government of Canada into the NSL and towards infrastructure and facilities —- something that in Ontario, will encompass stadium upgrades for the Ottawa Rapid and AFC Toronto.

AFC Toronto are also not quite done this season; announced just after their Supporters’ Shield lift, the regular season winners will be jetting off to the World Sevens Tournament in December to compete against the likes of the NWSL’s Kansas City Current and Liga MX Feminil’s Club América and Tigres.

When asked what was next, Milanovic was clear: “Getting better, even if we had won this game, I would tell you the same thing.”

“We’re looking forward to the tournament in Florida now that we have coming up. We’re going to look to represent the league as best as possible, not just the league but this country in general.

We’re going to play some really tough teams down there [...] but it’s still a great opportunity for us to showcase what we have, continue to get better and just enjoy the process.”