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Stingers suffer worse loss of season vs. Carabins

Photo by Brianna Thicke

The Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team lost their first game of the 2014 season 8-1 to the Montreal Carabins on Sunday. Carabins forward, Ariane Barker, scored four goals and led her team to victory, handing the Stingers their worse loss in over a year.

Disorganization was the killer for the Stingers, as they took eight minor penalties and suffered for it. The Carabins managed five power play goals, notably two to end the first period and one to start the second for a 4-0 lead, putting the game completely out of reach for the Stingers.

“Nothing was working,” Stingers left winger, Audrey Morand, said of the performance. “Our forecheck wasn’t working, our zone coverage wasn’t working. We were all very passive while the other team was really aggressive. We just didn’t show up.”

Stingers head coach, Les Lawton, was quick to echo Morand’s remarks, saying that it was uncharacteristic of his team to put in such a poor effort, since they’re usually the ones outworking the other teams.

“To beat that team we need good goaltending, we need to be disciplined, we need to play well in our end of the ice and we have to establish a forecheck,” he said. “That was our goal going into the game and we didn’t do any of that, so hopefully we learn that when we don’t do the things that we do well, we’re gonna have games like this.”

This marked the third time this season that the Stingers have met the Carabins, the first two meetings both ended with 2-1 result in favour of the Carabins.

The Stingers will host the Carabins this Thursday, once again at the Ed Meagher Arena, and Morand notes that this is a great opportunity for the Stingers to get revenge for the lopsided loss.

“We’re going to put this loss behind us and use it as motivation for Thursday’s game since we’re getting the chance to get revenge in a back-to-back situation,” she said.

Lawton was also looking forward to Thursday’s rematch.

“Going into the third, we wanted to make a bit of a statement towards our game on Thursday, but we’ll be a completely different team on Thursday I can guarantee you that,” said Lawton. “Our players are really disappointed in their performance and hopefully we can bounce back from that and get right back on track.”

Despite the loss, the Stingers still sit in fourth spot in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) standings and are currently en route to making the playoffs after a two-year absence.

“I’m disappointed, we wanted to take a step forward today and we didn’t,” Lawton said.  “It’s not the way we wanted to start our second half of the season but I’m still confident we’re going to do some good things and I really like our team character. We’ve got a really good bunch of girls who are working extremely hard both on and off the ice and I’m confident that they’re going to rebound from this.”

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Carabins serve Stingers second loss of the season

The half was close to ending when the Carabins came near to doubling their lead. In the 39th minute, Virginie Labossiere’s shot was stopped by Dagenais. Photo by George Menexis.

The Concordia Stingers came close to a tie but fell short against the Montreal Carabins, losing 1-0 in their second game of the season, Sunday, Sept. 8.

After losing 2-1 in their opening game of the season on Friday, Sept. 6 against Bishop’s, the Stingers came to the Cepsum Centre looking for results against the Carabins.

“We’re a young team that came off a really disappointing result on Friday, we really shouldn’t have lost, and if played like this on Friday, we would’ve won,” said Stingers head coach, Jorge Sanchez.

They knew it would not be an easy game, with the Carabins being one of the highest ranked teams in the country. Still, they came in as an attacking force and were able to keep up with the high-seeded team.

After a few chances on either end, it was the shot from Chloe Malette in the 14th minute that was unluckily deflected off a Concordia defender and into the net that had Concordia keeper, Saby Dagenais, jumping the wrong way.

“Considering it’s one of the best teams in the country, the only difference was a deflected goal,” said a disappointed Sanchez.

Concordia continued to press, not letting the fluke goal bring down their morale. In the 32nd minute, after a few easily stopped free kicks, Concordia’s Alexandra Dragan had the keeper beat but couldn’t beat the swarm of defenders that came rushing in to protect the net.

The half was close to ending when the Carabins came near to doubling their lead. In the 39th minute, Virginie Labossiere’s shot was stopped by Dagenais. Laurianne Garant-Saine grabbed the rebound and shot off the crossbar. The game went into the break with a 1-0 score.

Concordia continued to press in the second half. They completely outscored the Carabins on corners and on free kicks, and came close to equalizing in the 79th minute when the cross was headed onto the crossbar by Stingers Gabriela Padvaiskas.

Dagenais had an exceptional game, making two key saves in the second half that had the crowd gasping at the Cepsum Centre, and that kept the Stingers in it until the very end.

The home team also missed quite a few chances because they were offside, something they had a hard time avoiding for most of the match. At the end, it was quite frustrating for the Carabins offense, which resorted to crosses in order to avoid the trap.

“The second half they didn’t really do a lot, we just missed very opportunistic chances around the box,” said Sanchez. “The other team was resorting to grabbing shirts and pushing, which shows that we have the pace to keep up with anybody.”

The Stingers next game will be Friday, Sept. 15 at home against UQAM.

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Stingers soccer season goes from bad to worse

Photo by Marie-Josée Kelly

The Stingers men’s soccer team suffered their sixth straight loss on Sunday, losing 6-2 at the hands of the province wide second-place Montreal Carabins.

The Carabins came out strong and dominated the first half. Their advantage in speed and height was absolutely no match for Concordia’s sloppy play.

The visiting Montreal side wasted no time getting on the score sheet. In the ninth minute, midfielder Paolo Demanga out-ran a Stingers defender to play a perfect ground cross to Damir Rosic, who then managed to squeeze it past Remo Taraschi in goal.

“We gave up an early goal, which is not the script you want to begin a game,” said Assistant Coach Greg Sutton.

The Carabins showed no signs of letting up the pressure. In the 18th minute, Abdoul Bah fired a shot that just went over the bar.

Concordia struggled offensively, sending long balls that had almost no hope of finding a striker. Their best chances would come in the form of free-kicks, all taken by midfielder Joseph Couto. The only goals scored off these chances were field-goals.

The Carabins had a free kick of their own in 27th minute. Maxime Laurey showed the Stingers how it’s done by perfectly placing the ball in the bottom left corner of the net, leaving Taraschi with no chance.

Photo by Marie-Josée Kelly

The visitors kept on their relentless pressure, backing a hopeless looking Stingers defense to the goal line more than once. Just as the first half was about to end, Rosic was found alone with the Stingers keeper and effortlessly placed a shot in the right corner, putting the Carabins up 3-0 at the half.

The second half was a completely different game.

It started much like the first did. A perfect cross from a Carabins midfielder saw Vincent de Bruille completely unmarked and he smoothly tucked the ball into the right corner. It was now 4-0, and all hope was lost.

That’s when the game changed, and the Stingers found a spark.

“We had to change our game plan up, going into the second half,” said Sutton.

It took but one minute for Concordia to get a goal back. Stingers defender Enos Osei found himself with the ball after a nice passing play in midfield. He had time, picked his spot, and triggered a low shot that found the back of the net. The goal ended Montreal’s chance of keeping a clean sheet.

The goal sparked the fire even more, and with 40 minutes remaining, the Stingers took control of the game and became the dominating team. They won one-on-one battles and were first on the ball – aspects of their game that were non-existent in the first half.

“The guys were committed a little bit more and I think that we worked harder than Montreal in the second,” said Sutton. “We were able to come back and get some goals.”

The Carabins keeper, frustrated with the relentless pressure coming from the Stingers, went on to kick Stingers defender Jayson Gallahue, earning him a yellow card and giving Concordia a penalty kick in the 60th minute. Ramin Mohsenin easily put it in the back of the net, and Concordia were well on their way for an amazing comeback. At least, the fans thought so.

Head coach Lloyd Barker put on another striker to try and make the pressure stronger. A pair of chances in the 66th and 70th minutes saw Concordia’s attempts miss just wide.

As the time wound down, Carabins striker Alexandre Kénol took matters into his own hands, outrunning Stingers defenders to then tuck it in off the post on the keeper’s right side.

To make matters worse, Stingers defender Mohsenin committed a foul in the box in stoppage time, earning him his second yellow card and a sending-off. The game ended with Carabins striker blasting it in from the spot to make the final score of 6-2.

 

Concordia now sits dead last in the conference with only three games remaining. Their next game will be on Sunday, Oct. 21, against UQÀM at Concordia Stadium. 

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Late goal puts Carabins on top

The Stingers women’s soccer team gave first place Université de Montreal Carabins a run for their money but came up short in a 3-2 loss on Sunday afternoon at Concordia Stadium.

The last time these teams met this season, the Carabins beat the Stingers by a score of 5-0. The team has substantially improved and has one thing they didn’t have in the first game, according to head coach Jorge Sanchez.

“A lot of what we have more of is confidence,” said Sanchez. “Results get confidence and confidence gets results.”

This loss is the first for the Stingers in five games. Their last loss came on Sept. 23 against Sherbrooke. Since then, they won and and tied twice and lost once, including today’s result.

“It’s tough, we’ve been on a good run,” said Sanchez. “We took goals from Laval, we took points from McGill, and taking points against them would’ve been a great accomplishment. They’re the second ranked team in the country.”

The game started with both teams getting their equal share of chances. Stingers keeper Saby Dagenais kept the score even when she pulled off an amazing fingertip save in the 22nd minute.

However, the Carabins did manage a goal in the 27th minute. Samantha Gauthier showed great individual skill, splitting the Stingers defence with a burst of speed to smoothly put it over the keeper with a nice touch.

Concordia worked hard to get back into the game, and they got their chance with a set of corners in the 32nd minute. Philippa Lyttle had her volley blocked after a corner, leading to another one. She then got the ball in the box from the second corner kick, spun around, and placed it in the bottom corner. The game was tied at one apiece.

The second half started in the same fashion as the first, both teams getting their fair shares of opportunities. A good set of runs on the wing by Stingers forward Melissa Kedro gave Concordia two good chances to take the lead, but both were parried by a strong Carabins defensive line.

The deadlock broke when Carabins midfielder Éva Thouvenot-Hébert hit a free kick from 35 yards out in the 58th minute that eluded the Stingers keeper and found its way in the back of the net.

The Stingers proved that they’re capable of coming back from behind. A partial break from Stingers Gabriela Padvaiskas was impressively saved by the Carabins keeper. The time was quickly winding down.

After a Concordia corner was cleared successfully by Montreal’s defense, a quick counter from the Stingers defenders led to Padvaiskas having her shot trickle into the back of the net in the 73rd minute.

The game remained tied, but the Carabins got more chances, hitting a crossbar and a post in the process. As time winded down, the unthinkable happened. A Carabins player came in from the left side, cut in perfectly, and hit the bar. The rebound was smoothly put in by Carabins striker Isabelle Dumais.

Despite the loss, coach Sanchez said he was happy with the game.

“We were five minutes away from tying a great team,” he said. “We were competitive, we fought hard and we stayed in the game. I’m very proud of the girls.”

The Stingers find themselves four points out of a playoff spot with four matches remaining. The next game is on Oct. 19 when they travel to play the last place Bishop’s University.

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Stingers football lose on homecoming day

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan

It was a bitter homecoming game for the Stingers men’s football team, as they fell 38-0 to powerhouse Université de Montréal on Friday. The loss came three weeks after a 48-10 drubbing at CEPSUM. Concordia’s offense never got into a rhythm, as turnovers and constant pressure on quarterback Reid Quest spelled doom for an offence that looked shell-shocked as the game progressed.

“We got off to a decent start, but like last time, we managed to screw it up,” said Quest, who had a tough game, completing 14 of 26 passes for 168 yards and three interceptions. “As the quarterback I have to be the leader. I can’t keep giving the ball away like that. That’s my fault.”

Quest was replaced by backup Troy McCusker late in the final quarter with the game out of reach. McCusker completed three of five passes for 33 yards.

The Stingers’ first offensive possession was perhaps their best of the day, though it doesn’t say much. They marched down the field, showing some unity, but a sack forced a 45-yard field goal attempt, which fell short and wide of the uprights. It was as close as they would come to any points.

“You can’t really pin this loss on anyone,” said former Stingers quarterback and receiver Liam Mahoney, who provides colour commentary on Stingers broadcasts on TSN 690. “You certainly can’t blame the quarterback. It’s hard to make good reads and get the right timing down when there’s guys in your face on every play.”

The running game was a non-factor for the Stingers as they rushed 16 times for 69 yards.

“When you can’t run the ball effectively on first down, it makes life tougher for the passing game, operating at second and long,” explained Mahoney. “This was also one of the best defences in the country.”

On their second possession, Quest’s pass was tipped and intercepted by the Carabins’ Antoine Pruneau. The Carabins made Concordia pay right away, with Alexandre Nadeau-Piuze throwing a 44-yard bomb to Ali Ndao down to the Stingers’ 26-yard line. Two plays later, Nadeau-Piuze capped off the drive with a Quarterback sneak from the one to give Montreal all the points they needed to seal the win.

Montreal added a 15-yard Charles Bauer field goal and a 20-yard touchdown pass to Ali Ndao, who was the game’s leading receiver with five catches for 96 yards.

The Carabins put the game away in the third quarter, scoring an additional 21 points. Tailback Rotrand Sené wore down Concordia’s defence, scoring a pair of touchdowns on the ground. He had back-to-back majors of five and 24 yards. He rushed for 118 yards on 14 carries, contributing to Montréal’s 221-yard total.

Concordia’s home field advantage was taken away, as Montréal’s dominance took Concordia supporters out of the game early. The game held a total attendance of 2,087, with a hefty chunk being U de M supporters. It goes without saying, they were on the rowdier side.

Concordia now sits at 2-3 and their schedule doesn’t get any easier with Sherbrooke, McGill and Laval waiting for them down the road.

 

The Stingers gear up for game time on Saturday, Oct. 6 at 1 p.m. against Sherbrooke.

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Men’s rugby team earn first victory

Concordia won their first men’s rugby game of the season on home field during a rainy Friday night.

“The forwards won us the game,” said assistant coach Jamal Benouahi.

While Concordia’s tries were all scored by the back three, it was an outright dominating performance from the set piece that won the Stingers the game.

Second row Marc Roche had a standout game for the maroon and gold. He credits the team’s work on the practice pitch for the victory.

“It came down to practice,” Roche said. “Tonight it all came together and we drove them the hell off that ball.”

The first half saw both Concordia and Université de Montréal playing rather evenly in terms of possession and defense. The rain made it difficult for both teams to properly handle the ball, as a lot of knock-ons were being handed out.

The low point of the half was a complete meltdown from the Stingers in the 14th minute that lead directly to a Carabins try. The ball made its way down the wing through a series of offloads. Fortunately, this mistake did not decide the outcome. The Stingers pressed hard and defended effectively for the rest of the half.

The team came out flying in the second half. From the start, the Stingers’ back three showed how dangerous they are when they play to their ability and the line is able to provide them with the ball.

Only three minutes in, the Stingers broke down their opponent’s rush. Stinger Caleb Jordan snagged the ball and left defenders in awe with his sharp cuts and quick feet.

Con U’s second try was scored after a series of unorthodox plays forced a penalty and a scrum-down on U de M’s side of the pitch. As they did all game, Concordia won the set piece and took the ball wide to Frederic Kacou. He found an impossible gap sneaking into the try zone.

The icing on the cake came with 11 minutes remaining. Full back Vasken Redwanly got hold of the ball at midfield, after Jordan offloaded to him, letting him take off down the field. Redwanly left every Carabins defender behind before putting the ball down with authority in the far side of the try zone

“We know that we can beat the defense,” said Kacou. “When we get it, we know it’s going to work.”

“I’m proud of the forwards for keeping us in the game when the backs had trouble early,” said Captain Dario Pellizzari.

Getting rid of the goose egg in the win column was a must for the Stingers who now head out on the road.

“We have a platform for our game and we’re going to work from there,” said head coach Clive Gibson.

 

The Stingers head to Bishop’s University to face off against the Gaiters on Friday, Sept. 28 at 8:15 p.m.

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A major defeat for Stingers by Carabins

A 48-10 score says it all. There aren’t many positives to take from such a lopsided loss. The Stingers were dominated on all sides of the ball, be it on the offense, defence or special teams. The Université de Montréal Carabins won the battle at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

While Concordia was still in the game going into the fourth quarter – only trailing by 10 – the Carabins scored 28 unanswered points in the fourth to put the Stingers away and move on to 2-0, leaving Concordia with a record of 1-1.

Quarterback Reid Quest went 15-for-23 in passing attempts for 186 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He was sacked 10 times, which prevented Concordia’s offence from finding a rhythm. They also fumbled five times, losing two of them.

“We shot ourselves in the foot,” said Quest. “A lot of mental errors stalled our drives. They’re a great team and they capitalized on [that].”

Montreal went to the running game early, as running back Rotrand Sené helped the Carabins take advantage of great field position, leading a 42-yard drive. It was capped with a 3-yard touchdown pass by Alexandre Nadeau-Piuze to Mikhail Davidson.

Nadeau-Piuze fumbled deep in Concordia territory on the next possession, but the Stingers went two-and-out on the ensuing drive. Montreal then blocked Keegan Treloar’s punt, but fumbled the ball at the goal line, giving Concordia a touchback and a new set of downs. The Stingers then threw an interception, once again giving Montreal a chance at Concordia’s 23-yard line.

The Carabins went up two scores after Nadeau-Piuze took it in himself on a nine-yard touchdown run.

Concordia had trouble advancing the ball early, but a facemask penalty helped them advance the ball after Quest was yanked by the helmet on a sack. He then threw his best pass of the day, finding Jamal Henry for a 53-yard touchdown pass, cutting the lead in half.

The Stingers had chances to inch closer, but they kicked only one field goal on four tries, leaving nine points off the board. Two were missed by kicker Keegan Treloar and one was blocked. In the end, nine points turned out to be miniscule when looking at the final deficit.

Montreal ended the first half with a 23-yard chip shot by Charles Bauer bringing the halftime score to 17-7. The two teams traded field goals in the third quarter before Montreal ran away with the game. Concordia’s defence was looking worn down by the time the fourth quarter came along. They forced five fumbles, recovering four which kept the Stingers in the game, but they couldn’t keep it up for all four quarters.

“It’s all a matter of execution,” said safety Nathan Taylor. “We just let it get away from us in the last 15 minutes. When we look back and watch the game tape, we’re going to be very disappointed.”

Montreal won in all phases of the game and owned the line of scrimmage for most of the game. It’s always the most important battle in a football game and the Carabins were the better team and well-deserving of the victory.

 

The Stingers will look to recover this Saturday at 12 p.m. against St. Francis Xavier.

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