Stingers football, women’s soccer, and women’s rugby teams all claimed their first wins of the season.
The Concordia Stingers fall sports teams hit the field for the first time of the 2024 fall season this past weekend. Football, soccer, and rugby are all back for another season — here is what happened last week:
Football
Concordia Stingers football is looking quite different in 2024. Former offensive coordinator of the Stingers, Alex Surprenant, became the McGill Redbirds’ head coach. This allowed former Stingers receivers coach, Justin Chapdelaine, to become the new offensive coordinator.
The departure of wide receiver Ezechiel Tieide, safety Dawson Pierre, and linebacker Zachary Philion all to the 2024 Canadian Football League (CFL) Draft meant the turnover in the lineup was heavy.
The new-look squad was put to the test against the Laval Rouge et Or on Aug. 24. A tight, back-and-forth matchup in the first quarter quickly turned into a game dominated by the visiting Rouge et Or. In the end, the Stingers lost their season and home opener by a score of 36-11.
On Aug. 30, the Stingers had their eyes on a rebound game. The team traveled to Université de Sherbrooke to face the Vert et Or. Trailing late in the fourth quarter, a four-yard run into the endzone gave the Stingers the go-ahead touchdown. The Stingers held on to win 19-15, securing their first win of the season.
Soccer
The Concordia Stingers men’s and women’s soccer seasons are off to tough starts in the first week of action.
The women’s team kicked off their season at home against the Bishop’s Gaiters on Aug. 30. The Stingers had several scoring opportunities in the first half of the ball game, but could not capitalize. With the Gaiters pressing in the second half, neither team could find the back of the net. The game ended in a 0-0 draw.
Game two of the season for the Stingers women’s soccer team was another challenge, this time against the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriotes on Sept. 1. Midfielder Adrianna Da Silva, got the Stingers on the board, but the Patriotes scored two goals on four shots for the victory.
Concordia’s women’s team finishes their first week of action with one point out of a possible six. They will be back on the field against Université Laval Rouge et Or on Sept. 6.
The Stingers men’s soccer team also faced UQTR at home on Sept. 1. In a defensive battle, the Patriotes came out on top by a score of 1-0. Concordia will look to get in the win column when they play Université Laval Rouge et Or on Sept. 6.
Rugby
The women’s rugby team was the only Concordia sports team on the road Sept. 1. They were visiting the Bishop’s Gaiters for their season opener. With the offense in command, the Stingers took a 28-10 win back to Montreal. The Stingers finish their first week of the new season tied for first place in the Réseau du Sport Étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) women’s rugby standings. Their next match will be the annual Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup against the University of McGill Martlets on Sept. 8.
