Stingers 2, Patriotes 1: Kick for the Cure match showcases new talents
After overcoming losses, the Stingers regrouped and delivered a strong charity match
After a tough few weeks, the Concordia University Stingers women’s soccer team came back with excellence in the Kick for the Cure charity game on Sunday, Sept. 27, against theUniversité du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriotes. The players commemorated the breast cancer awareness game by wearing pink ribbons and socks.
The Stingers started off with strong defence against Trois-Rivières, rarely losing track of the ball. Stingers defender Holly Hartlen had an excellent first half, showcasing her talent to the max and rarely missing a beat. Even after a potential injury, she remained on the field.
The crowd grew more excited pass after pass. By the 29th minute, defence turned into attack, and rookie forward Alexiane Simard scored her first goal of the season.
“I was sure I was offside, but I still went for it, and I scored,” Simard said.
The goal was the highlight of the first half of the match, with its energy and force.
It was not long until the Patriotes scored a goal of their own. After a series of yellow cards for both teams, UQTR earned a free kick that ended up in the back of the net, tying the match at 1-1.
Tensions were high at the start of the second half, with Concordia making a substitution in the first minute.
Leading the game with strong attacks, forward Sofia Lombardo Varisco scored for the Stingers again in the 55th minute. This was Varisco’s first goal in her university career.
UQTR put up a prominent effort to catch up during the final 30 minutes, with a few corner kicks and two close calls, both stopped by Stingers goalkeeper Naïla Louissaint.
A closing sequence of great passes and attacks by both teams followed, and the action left the crowd on the edge of their seats for the remainder of the match.
The match ended 2-1 for Concordia, to the joy of fans and players alike. Coach Wilfried Monthe was very proud of the team.
“It was nice to see the girls executing the plan,” Monthe said.
Stingers defender Joy Zeeman talked about what this win meant for the team.
“This was huge for us, because we missed out in the past few weeks,” Zeeman said.
The team had not won a game since the start of the month, only tying with Sherbrooke last week. This will definitely mark a turning point for the players.
During this match, the Stingers showcased some of their strongest skills. With good communication between players and a strong distribution of force throughout the field, the team seems on track for a great second half of the season. The breast cancer cause supported by this match is also important to many team members.
The Stingers' next match is against the Bishop's University Gaiters on Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. at Concordia Stadium.
