Stingers show progress

The Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team, looking to bounce back after a disappointing opening weekend, played two competitive matches against Ottawa and Carleton, but ended up on the short end, dropping both decisions by scores of 3-0 and 2-1 respectively.
On Sunday, the women’s team played their strongest and most even paced game of the season when they traveled to Carleton University.
Despite being a few players down due to injuries they held the game in check. Coach Les Lawton chose to put defender Catherine Desjardins at forward to fill the gap.
“It came naturally, it’s in me,” said Desjardins, who said she used to play centre. “It’s hard to do both, but I did my best.”
Lawton also opted for backup Stephanie Peck between the pipes and Devon Rich on the top line along side captain Esther Latoures and Mary Jane O’Shea. “I enjoyed the line, they pushed me faster,” said Rich.
The first period had a lot of back and forth action, with Concordia dominating the shot total. Late in the frame Carleton got back-to-back penalties 32 seconds apart with Ravens’ Regan Thompson and Jennifer Slewidge going to the box.
The two-player advantage sparked the Stingers with great cycling and passing, with the best opportunity going to Rich who rang one off the post along the goal line before being taken by Carleton goaltender Amanda Muhlig.
Off the next faceoff after both penalties were killed, a pass sprung by Raven forward Sara Seiler broke loose and split the defence, managing a forehand goal blocker side past Peck with no time left on the clock.
“It’s unfortunate, we get one off the post, then allow a bad breakaway goal,” said Lawton.
The second period was filled with penalties, Concordia taking four and Carleton two. The Stingers knew they had to get in their zone and capitalize. Just over four minutes into the period, a shot by Rich was stopped in Muhlig’s pads, but the rebound went right to Emilie Luck who potted her first goal of the season.
A few minutes later, indiscipline cost the Stingers when Luck and Latoures got minors. The Ravens scored to give them the lead when Claudia Bergeron put one past Peck five-hole.
“It was unfortunate,” said Peck about the goal. “I wanted it back.”
The indiscipline came back in the third when Concordia took five penalties and only mustered two shots in the entire period and the Ravens had 10.
“We played very well the first and second, but the third was undisciplined,” said Lawton.
“I think it was our best team effort,” said Lawton, who also was very pleased with what he saw from Peck. “[Peck] was very composed, and the team let her see the puck. I’m very pleased with the progress she’s made.”
Peck herself was content despite not getting the win.
“I felt pretty good, considering a year ago I wasn’t even playing. I made saves to help the team.”
Friday night saw Audrey Doyon-Lessard take on the Gee-Gees for the second time in under a week. Marie-Hél