Women’s Soccer: Sharing the Spoils

Stingers Comeback and Tie Martlets and Remain Fifth in the RSEQ Standings

SportsVince Morello — Published September 30, 2014

Despite the draw, they missed out on an opportunity to leapfrog over McGill in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec standings.

“I think the first half needed some work,” said defender Alyssa Ruscio. “We weren’t pressing them as hard as we were planning on doing,”

“[The] second half on the other hand we did well and we were quick to get on them,”

In the first half, the Martlets caught the Stingers off guard with an 8th minute goal by Rebecca Green. Green later added a second goal to give the Martlets a two goal advantage.

As the Stingers faced adversity, Gabriela Padvaiskas struck a perfect shot past the Martlets goalkeeper in the 38th minute, leaving the Stingers down by one at the end of the first half.

The latter half was played at a faster pace with the teams going back and forth trading scoring chances.

Concordia’s Lindsay Brooks of the Stingers made a goal-line clearance in the 68th minute, saving the Stingers from allowing another goal. This defensive play would prove to be a turning point in the game.

Ruscio tied the game in the 75th minute with a shot that surprised the Martlets ‘keeper, and herself.

“I took on to the wing [and] just took it to goal,” said Ruscio on her equalizer. “Honestly, I didn’t think it was going in. I didn’t really see what happened,”

“I was really excited when I saw it actually went in.”

Coach Jorge Sanchez praised his team for their recent performances against Montreal and McGill, as they begin their run towards a post-season berth.

“I think they realize that they’re as good as anybody,” he said. “I mean tying Montreal on Friday, and then coming back [today], I think we were a better team, but the fact we came back for a tie, the team realizes that they’re good, that they’re good enough to play.”

The Stingers will face the UQTR Patriotes on Friday evening at Concordia Stadium at 8:30 p.m.