Simply put, all Madison Lavers knows is winning.
For three seasons as a centre back with the Cape Breton Capers, Lavers has absorbed a winning soccer culture during her university career.
Three seasons, three Atlantic university banners and three trips to nationals.
"I've been spoiled a bit," Lavers said with a laugh. "But we have worked really hard for it. It's just incredible."
Lavers and the Capers will cross the continent this week for the U Sports women's soccer championship at the University of Victoria.
Cape Breton captured its third consecutive AUS title on Sunday, upending the first-place and previously-unbeaten Acadia Axewomen 3-2 in the conference final in Sydney.
It's the 11th women's soccer banner since 2003 for the Capers, who were already assured of a berth to nationals as an AUS finalist. The conference will send two representatives to B.C.
"We knew we were going to Victoria but you always want to get the (AUS) banner and the better seed," Lavers said.
Despite falling behind 2-0 in the first half, rookie sensation Alliyah Rowe took charge and factored in all three CBU goals.
She assisted on Rachel Leck's first-half marker and then potted a pair of goals, two minutes apart in the second half. Rowe was named playoff MVP.
"She plays like a veteran," Lavers said of the first-year striker from Kitchener, Ont. "I remember when she came to camp, I had no idea what kind of impact she would make. But right from our pre-season you could tell that she would be an impactful player. She's not nervous on the ball and has so much poise."
For the Axewomen, it was their fourth loss in five years in the conference final. Three of those setbacks were to Cape Breton.
Acadia still punched its ticket to nationals and will be the eighth seed. They open the tournament Thursday afternoon against the Ontario conference champion and top-ranked York Lions.
Cape Breton, meanwhile, enters as the No. 3 seed and will face the OUA finalist Toronto Varsity Blues in its quarter-final.
The Capers - who won a national title in 2007 - has collected medals in the previous two U Sports championships. They earned a silver in 2017, after losing in the final to the Montreal Carabins, and brought home a bronze last season.
That's two medals in two years for Lavers. She's well aware what colour is missing in her collection.
"We are definitely seeking gold out there this year," Lavers said.
"There's no turning back right now. We have to get out there, get settled, get into practice and get a feel of the pitch, the tournament, everything and just do the same things as we did (on Sunday).
"We have pretty much the same personnel. Those who stepped up have done an amazing job. None of us have missed a beat, including the rookies. I never feel like an underdog going to nationals with this team."
The five-foot-10 defender from Halifax came to Cape Breton University with a winning pedigree.
She won three provincial gold medals as a member of Halifax County United and went to three national club championships, earning a bronze medal in 2016.
The following spring, she was named the 2016-17 female athlete of the year and soccer MVP at Halifax Grammar School.
The accolades caught the eye of Capers longtime head coach Ness Timmons. Lavers didn't miss a beat at CBU. She stepped in and contributed right away. The past two seasons, she has played in every minute in every game.
"She's our experienced centre back now," said Timmons, in his 24th year at the CBU helm. "She worked her way in the first year and she's been steady as rock out there. This year, she has played mature soccer and has been a leader from the back line. She deserved the all-star honour.
"She can defend the ball, she can clear the area and she can settle it down. Her first passes from the back are spot on. She starts our attack."
The national championship can be considered wide open with the defending champion Ottawa Gee-Gees eliminated and five new programs qualifying for the tournament over last year's.
The other Thursday quarter-finals feature No. 4 Montreal against the fifth-ranked UBC Thunderbirds and the No. 2 Calgary Dinos versus the host and seventh-seed Victoria Vikes.
CBU men seek second national gold in three years
The four-time defending AUS men's soccer champions from Cape Breton are out to claim their second gold medal in three years - and third straight final appearance - when the U Sports men's championship opens Thursday in Montreal.
Led by two-time conference MVP Peter Schaale, the Capers went undefeated during the regular season and beat the St. Francis Xavier X-Men 2-0 in extra time in Sunday's AUS final.
Schaale, who returned to CBU in fine form after spending the off-season with the Canadian Premier League’s HFX Wanderers, earned tournament MVP honours.
He and his Capers are hopeful that at nationals, they return to the form which won them the program's first U Sports banner in men's soccer in 2017 and a silver medal last year.
Cape Breton is the second seed and will face No. 7 Calgary in their quarter-final Thursday evening.
St. F.X., led by three-time AUS scoring leader Dan Hayfield, also earned a berth at nationals as an AUS finalist. The X-Men are the eighth seed and will take on the top-ranked Carleton Ravens in the opening match Thursday morning.
The other quarter-final matchups include No. 4 UBC versus the fifth-ranked UQTR Patriotes and the host Carabins, the third seed, against No. 6 York.
