Concordia’s Women’s Soccer Team Win Exhibition Match as First League Game Looms

Stingers Defeat Visiting Acadia University 3-1

SportsJonathan Caragay-Cook — Published August 30, 2015

The Stingers defeated visiting Acadia University 3-1 at Concordia Stadium on Saturday afternoon. This result followed their away victory against Plattsburgh State in New York on Wednesday.

The non-conference game saw one of Concordia’s many new rookies, Kaitlyn Fournier, score two goals—one in each half—and generally dominate the central midfield.

Keisha Lewis scored Concordia’s last goal from a Fournier pass in the second half. On the very next possession, Acadia scored its lone tally.

“This is a quality side that usually doesn’t concede many goals,” said Concordia head coach Jorge Sanchez. “We scored three goals against them and generally held our own.”

A former player from Dawson College and John Abbott College—and an all-star in her final CEGEP season—Fournier didn’t appear to be fazed in her debut CIS game. Even opposing head coach Arnit Batra singled her out as one of the two Concordia players that stood out the most for him.

“She’s a gamebreaker,” Sanchez said. “We knew when we recruited her she’s a player that can make something happen on her own.”

Fournier’s first goal, which she admitted wasn’t intentional, resulted from an error by the Acadia goalkeeper. Late in the first half, a series of passes on the left side led to the playmaker stretching to redirect the ball toward goal. It eventually trickled over the line after squirming through the goalie’s arms.

“The keeper was not placed properly, so I just hit in the corner that she left me,” Fournier said about scoring Concordia’s second.

Her second goal was a more difficult, intentional attempt to keep out. A second Acadia goalkeeper, who came on as a halftime sub, got fingertips to Fournier’s shot, but could only divert the ball into the goal.

“The keeper was not placed properly, so I just hit in the corner that she left me,” Fournier said about her vantage point before scoring Concordia’s second.

Concordia’s third goal unsurprisingly again involved Fournier. Her looping pass from the right side caused confusion between the Acadia’s goalkeeper and defenders. Lewis ran onto the bouncing ball and chipped it into the net from outside the box.

From the ensuing kickoff, a possession down the right side saw Acadia midfielder Rachelle Aucoin send a cross into the box toward her forward Jackie Steven. According to Batra, Steven had the final touch, but Concordia captain Alyssa Russo told The Link that it was an own-goal.

“Overall we did a good job,” Russo said. “We had a few lapses in concentration in our defensive marking which caused their only goal, but overall I’m happy with our performance.”

Batra said this is one of the first away trips his team has had in a few years. Saturday’s game was also their first one in preseason, while Concordia was playing its third.

“They have some real quality on the ball with a couple players,” Batra said about Concordia’s play. “They look organized, which is to be expected that they’re a few games into their preseason right now.”