After a tough come-from-behind loss at the hands of the Carabins on Friday night, the Stingers traveled across town to face their nemesis, the McGill Martlets, for a showdown at McConnell Arena. Despite a strong performance by the Stingers, they came up on the short end of the stick, losing the game 3-1.
“We’re almost at the halfway point of the season, but there’s a lot of improvements,” said Stingers forward Emilie Bocchia. “We know a turnaround is coming. We’ve done lots as a team, improving steadily since day one.”
Just one minute into the game, RSEQ scoring leader Leslie Oles lit the lamp for the Martlets with her tenth goal of the season, batting in her own rebound past Stingers goaltender Carolanne Lavoie-Pilon.
“We didn’t let them have as many good chances,” said Lavoie-Pilon. “The goals allowed were skill from skilled players, and hard shots to face.”
The Stingers continually tried to even the score through the first but to no avail. The Martlets defense was too strong, blocking the way to McGill goalie Andrea Weckman, who made 11 saves for the win.
A scary sight occurred late in the first when an upper-body collision between Oles and Stingers forward Alyssa Sherrard ended with Sherrard on the ice, immobile for a couple of moments. With the help of the trainer, she skated off the ice. She did return in the second.
In the second, Martlets Melodie Daoust found the back of the net, doubling the McGill lead to 2-0, with a shot up high. The Stingers still seemed stronger and more determined. Despite getting in the McGill zone often, Concordia could only muster five shots through 40 minutes. On the other side of the ice Lavoie-Pilon continued to see the puck well, turning aside 28 out of 30 shots through two.
Starting the third period with a powerplay, the Stingers were able to cut the lead to one when Sherrard scored just over one minute in. The powerplay goal scored by Concordia was only the second allowed by McGill this season; the other also scored by the Stingers.
With Concordia’s fourth-year defense Mary-Jane Roper off for boarding midway through the third, McGill’s Gabrielle Davidson finished off a passing play by taking a wrist shot just over Lavoie-Pilon’s blocker, sealing the game at 3-1.
“We allowed too much space to their better players who are world-class players,” said Stingers head coach Les Lawton. “I told them to keep their heads up and back on their heels. I saw a lot of intensity and emotion out there.”
Despite the loss, the team sees many good things for the second half.
“We have a lot of emotion and our team is really coming together,” exclaimed fifth-year defense Laurie Proulx-Duperre. “Everyone is really stepping up, and it shows.”
“We played a solid five out of six periods this weekend,” explained coach Lawton. “I’m really proud of everyone. It was truly a team performance all 60 minutes today.”
Concordia will play their next game on Friday, Nov. 16 against the Carleton Ravens at Ed Meagher Arena. Two days later, the team will head to the CEPSUM arena to face the Montréal Carabins at 2 p.m.
