Women’s Soccer: A Win to Remember

Stingers Jump Ahead in the Standings with 2-1 Win over UQTR Patriotes in Erica Cadieux Memorial Game

SportsVince Morello — Published October 4, 2014

“I think the players will remember it 20 years from now, they’ll still be talking about it,” said Stingers head coach Jorge Sanchez.

After the UQTR Patriotes equalized in the 88th minute, the Stingers responded with a game-winner in stoppage-time from midfielder Shauna Zilversmit, which ultimately gave them a 2-1 win over the Patriotes.

The Stingers and Patriotes were playing in the ninth annual Erica Cadieux Memorial Game, in commemoration of the deceased midfielder/defender who played for the Stingers from 1992 to 1994. She was killed when she was struck down by a car in 2006.

Fans were encouraged to bring cash and toys to be donated to the Montreal Children’s Hospital in remembrance of Cadieux.

Carlo Spadafora, Cadieux’s widower, and their two children attended the game.

“This is the ninth annual [game] and it’s fantastic that it’s been organized for this many years,” he said. “It’s a great community gesture on behalf of Concordia and the Stingers.”

The Stingers didn’t waste any time getting on the board in the first half. From the game’s opening whistle, the Stingers controlled the play and were quickly rewarded with a goal from defender Laurence Thivierge in the 12th minute.

“It was a great goal because it allowed us to dictate the pace of the game,” said Sanchez. “When you’re up 1-0, it allows us to put pressure on them; it allowed us to control a little bit.”

UQTR would not go off silently as they would put pressure on the Stingers defense in the second half, pressing to find an equalizer.

“We got away from what we were doing well, and you saw that they were sort of coming back,” Sanchez said.

When the game looked to be coming to an end, drama would follow in the final minutes, as UQTR forward Marie-Laurence Ouellet tied the game for UQTR in the 88th minute.

On the same play, Stingers goaltender Alexandra Lato fell unconscious after a blow to the head and was taken away by ambulance.

On the restart, the Stingers took UQTR by surprise and Zilversmit scored the game-winning goal in the 90th minute.

“To be able to get the win for my team, I think we deserved it,” Shauna said.

“It was such a sweet feeling to win in the last two minutes,” Stingers captain Alex Dragan said after the win.

Since the memorial game’s inception in 2006, the winning team has their name etched on the Cadieux Memorial Plaque.

Concordia’s team will have its name on the plaque for the very first time, after losing out on the title to McGill, Université Laval and the reigning champion, UQTR.

“It’s an amazing feeling to hold that plaque,” Dragan said.

The win now puts Concordia ahead of its crosstown rival, the McGill Martlets, in fourth place in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec.

“When you do things right when you work hard, sometimes you make your own luck,” said Sanchez.