Moral Victories Don’t Count

1-0 Loss to UdeM Drops Stingers to 0-2

SportsJustin Blanchard — Published September 9, 2013

The Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team’s rough start to the season continued Sunday at CEPSUM stadium, where they lost 1-0 to the Université de Montréal Carabins to bring their season record to 0-2.

Considering the Carabins are currently the Collegiate Interuniversity Sport’s fifth-ranked team in the country, and that they defeated the Stingers 5-0 in last year’s season opener, some might consider Sunday’s game a moral victory for Concordia.

Stingers head coach Jorge Sanchez is not among them.

“You know, I think as a program, we’re beyond moral victories,” he said. “Yes, it’s a positive. I think the effort level today was so much better than Friday—but that doesn’t show in the standings unfortunately.”

It was a hard-fought game from the start, with both teams taking turns moving the ball deep into their opponent’s half, but neither having the opportunity to take a shot on goal.

That was the case until the 31st minute, when a clearing attempt by Stingers goalkeeper Saby Dagenais didn’t make it past half-field as the ball was easily recovered by UdeM.

A few quick passes later, Carabins striker Chloé Malette found herself with the ball just outside the keeper’s box, where her shot was deflected by a Concordia defender before finding its way into the back of the net for the game’s lone goal.

The two sides continued to battle until the 78th minute, when the Stingers earned a free kick outside the penalty box to the far right of Carabins goalkeeper Sarah Boucher. Concordia defender and team captain Shannon Travers’s ensuing shot into the six-yard box met a teammate’s head and sailed towards goal, but the ball bounced off the crossbar to keep UdeM’s lead intact.

It proved to be Concordia’s best, and last, chance to tie the game.

“[We] played well, [we] competed,” said Sanchez. “I think we showed that we have the pace to keep up with anybody.”
Travers agrees.

“They’re always a hard team to play,” she said about the Carabins. “If we can hold up with teams like this then we can do anything.”

The Stingers’ next game is Friday, Sept. 13 at Concordia Stadium, where they’ll take on the Université du Québec à Montréal Citadins. Kickoff is at 8:30 p.m.