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Falling in final for fourth straight year

Photo by Brianna Thicke

On Friday night, the Concordia men’s rugby team faced their biggest rivals, the McGill Redmen, in the RSEQ championships, losing 16-6.

Photo by Brianna Thicke

“It was a well fought game between two very skilled teams who both deserved to be in the final,” said Anthony Fraschetti, the Stingers’ tighthead prop. “But the game came down to which team was more disciplined.”

The game started off in McGill’s favour, with a try and a conversion on the board within the first three minutes. Two minutes later, the Redmen scored their first penalty kick, making the score 10-0.

Concordia and McGill were evenly matched when it came to strength—not surprising considering this is the fourth consecutive year that they have met in the finals. As always, Concordia’s forward pack was strong in the scrums and rucks but their real skill came through in their lineouts.

After a driving maul off of a lineout, the Stingers were given the opportunity to score three points off of a penalty kick. Joey Fulginiti, the Stingers’ star kicker, sent it sailing through to the posts and brought the score to 10-3.

The Stingers then decided their best option was to slow-ball their way closer to the McGill try zone, a good decision considering the speed that the Redmen were harnessing in their backline. Concordia gained a significant amount of ground but they were not able to secure a try before McGill got their hands on the ball.

Concordia scored their second and final penalty goal with only minutes left in the first half. McGill then scored their second try of the game only to have the points redacted with no chance of kicking a conversion due to a delayed yellow card being issued to one of their players.

During half-time, a red card was issued to another McGill player. This seemed to fuel the fire under the Redmen and gave them the fight they needed to win the game.

Stingers’ winger Caleb Jordan, who had gone—quite literally—head-to-head with McGill flanker Rhys McRae, left the field on a stretcher and was sent to the hospital via ambulance. Alfredo Consentino, hooker for the Stingers, also suffered a minor injury a couple of minutes later but was able to continue playing.

Fulginiti was sent off with only minutes left in the game because of a late and possibly dangerous tackle to McGill fullback Cameron Perrin. This left Yannick Fortin to lead the kickoff.

McGill scored two more penalty kicks before the end of the game, bringing the final score to 16-6 for the Redmen.

The amount of penalties, yellow and red cards and late calls in this game was a detriment to both teams. It came down to discipline,teamwork and which team utilized their strengths to a higher degree.

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Off to the finals against McGill

Photo by Natalia Lara Díaz-Berrio.
Photo by Natalia Lara Díaz-Berrio.

The wind and the rain couldn’t slow down the Concordia Stingers men’s rugby team during their semifinal game on Sunday against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or. They won the game 23-13, giving them a place in the finals against McGill on Friday, Nov.22.

The game started off with a three-point lead for the Stingers within the first five minutes after captain and leading try-scorer for the season, Joseph Fulginiti, kicked for a penalty. Sherbrooke worked their blindside excellently and managed to score a try eight minutes into the game, after a well-executed pick-and-go. After successfully scoring the conversion, Sherbrooke brought the score to 7-3.

Sherbrooke clearly had the upper hand in scrums and rucks—their forward pack was strong and unwavering. However, Concordia made up for their slight lack of strength with amazing lineouts. Marc Roche, the first jumper in the Stingers lineouts, barely missed a single thrown ball and managed to steal several lineouts from Sherbrooke.

“Our lineout was very strong, Alfredo Cosentino was throwing great ball given the weather and [Roche] was a huge threat in the lineout and with ball in hand,” said Fulginiti.

Stingers powerhouse rookie flanker, Andreas Krawczyk, proved his spot on the starting lineup this week by getting involved in three back-to-back plays within the first 15 minutes, “If the 14 players around him can bring their game up to [his] level this is going to be a great win for Concordia,”said Scott Gill, former Concordia rugby player and commentator for Stingers rugby Webcasts.

The Stingers managed to score another two penalty kicks before the end of the first half, leading the game 9-7.

In the second half of the game, Concordia seemed more confident with their plays. The weather was a severe detriment but it didn’t stop Nick Smith, the maroon-and-gold scrum-half, from making expansive passes from scrums and rucks and sending the ball flying towards the backline. Stingers winger, Caleb Jordan, had amazing speed as usual but couldn’t find the breakaway that the Stingers needed to score a try.

Fulginiti answered a Sherbrooke penalty kick with one of his own a bit more than halfway through the second half, making the score 12-10. Five minutes later, the Stingers were setting up for yet another penalty kick when the Vert et Or got another penalty, which got the Stingers 10 metres closer to the try line.

After bringing the score to 18-10 with another two penalty kicks, making that the Stingers’ sixth penalty kick with no try,  Sherbrooke scored one of their own, bringing the score to 18-13.

After a very successful driving maul resulting from a classic Concordia winning lineout, the Stingers scored their first try all game with mere seconds left on the clock, bringing the score to 23-13, securing Concordia’s spot in the final playoff game against McGill.

“For the final we will go through our normal routine, treat it like any other game,” said Fulginiti, “watch the film of the past game, watch film of McGill and begin to game-plan.”

Concordia will be playing McGill in the final game of the season on Friday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. at Molson Stadium.

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Power outage causes men’s rugby game cancellation

The Stinger's men's rugby team. Concordian file photo by Marie-Josée Kelly
The Stinger’s men’s rugby team. Concordian file photo by Marie-Josée Kelly

The Concordia men’s rugby team was due to play against the Montreal Carabins on Friday, Nov.1, but due to windy conditions and power outages at the Loyola campus, the game was postponed to Sunday, Nov. 3.

Despite the cancellation of the game, the men overpowered the Carabins on Sunday night, winning the game 38-17. This is the sixth win for the Stingers this season, securing them a spot in second place, right below the McGill Redmen.

“Even if the power had come back, the campus security had closed the athletic fields for security reasons due to all the stuff blowing around and they were not going to open it again until the wind died down below the levels we were experiencing,” said head coach Clive Gibson about the game’s cancellation.

Scheduled for 7 p.m., the game against the Carabins was only decided to be postponed at 7:20 p.m. As the Carabins packed up to leave, both coaches could be seen pacing around the building, asking players when they were available to play next.

Eventually, all Stingers disappeared into the locker room and were told that their game would be postponed until Sunday, Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.

“There are no back-up generators—not surprising considering the building was constructed in the 1950s. The back-up plan in situations like this is to find an alternate date convenient to both teams which is what we did,” said Gibson.

“We’re all taped and ready to go,” said Nico Krawczyk, a Stingers second row, moments before the game was officially cancelled. “I’d rather just find another field at this point.”

Having only one league game left against Bishop’s before they head into the semi-finals, Gibson is clear about what to expect going into playoffs: “More of the same fast paced, exciting, hard-nosed rugby.”

The Stingers play their final regular season game against Bishop’s on Friday, Nov. 8 at Coulter Field in Lennoxville. Make sure to check out the live-streaming of the game on the Gaiter’s website.

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Bittersweet finish for men’s rugby team

Photo by Schachter
Photo by Schachter

“The result is disappointing, but not the way we played,” said Stingers scrum-half Kevin Elliott. “We put everything we could into it and left it all on the field.”

The most anticipated matchups in the regular season for the Stingers and Redmen are those they play against each other. The only way to surmount this intensity is to put them against one another for the league championship in November. Concordia and McGill renewed their rivalry in the RSEQ Championship game for the third consecutive year on Sunday.

The tilt started at a fast pace. Each team was eager to get rid of their pre-game jitters and play to their liking. This consisted of an abundance of plays to the blindside for McGill, and from ConU the ever present speed and physicality, a staple of their brand.

“They have been utilising that strategy for three years at least,” said Concordia head coach Clive Gibson. “We prepared for it, but we got caught napping a few times for big yardage.”

McGill struck first by scoring a try, without conversion, in the 15th minute of play after capitalizing on a rare break from the ConU defence. Five minutes later, McGill was given another chance to increase their lead with a penalty kick, however it would be shanked from 28 yards out.

Redmen penalties would help the Stingers break the goose egg with 10 minutes left in the first half when kicker Joey Fulginiti put one through the uprights from 29 yards out.

Also, despite a visiting fan’s attempt to distract the kicker with a truck horn, Fulginiti remained ice cold and put up a great kick from 42 yards out sending the home crowd into an uproar as Concordia was leading 6-5 with four minutes remaining in the half.

“Whether it’s 20 or 40 yards out, if the other team gets penalties you want to make them pay,” said Fulginiti. “When you make those kicks, it’s a huge momentum boost for the squad.”

The lead would not hold up until the break. McGill scored a try when a clearing kick was caught and promptly brought back into their end with a quick juke and a well timed offload. The Redmen runner beat three defenders and put the ball down giving the visitors a 11-6 lead at the half.

The second half began with a massive surge from the Redmen. ConU stopped a sure try from being scored very early on, however a scrum that went McGill’s way made its way to one of their backs who would drive it forward for the try.

Concordia did not quit and relied on its forwards to give them another chance to put up points. When a lineout was won, this turned into a maul that drove forward and was sealed by Kim Haze Vuong with the try.

Despite a surge of momentum after the last try, ConU gave up another try with 17 minutes left when a wall played ball made its way along the wing and forward. Instead of shipping it back the other way,  McGill took it and cashed in what was eventually the game winning try.

Even with a late game push by Concordia’s forward pack to force McGill to concede a penalty try, there was simply too little time left. The home crowd witnessed the very emotional Stingers side receive silver.

“We never gave up once,” said Stingers captain Dario Pellizzari. “I’m proud of the boys for how they played today and all season.”

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Concordia advances to RSEQ finals

The Stinger's men's rugby team. Concordian file photo by Marie-Josée Kelly

The Concordia Stingers pulled off a 31-17 victory over the Sherbrooke Vert et Or on Friday night in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec Semifinals at Concordia Stadium.

Photo by Marie-Josée Kelly

“A ‘W’ is a ‘W’ and you’ll take what you can get,” said head coach Clive Gibson.

It wasn’t the prettiest of wins, especially in the eyes of Gibson, who made it evident in his post-game comments that this was not his team’s best showing. This feeling was shared by the players as well.

“We know we can play better than how we played today,” said Concordia scrum-half Kevin Elliott. “It was a lapse and it was very frustrating. It’s a good wake-up call and I think we needed it.”

It was a win nonetheless against a very physical visiting Sherbrooke squad who failed to come up on many scoring chances. According to Stingers captain Dario Pellizzari, this is a testament to the depth of the team’s roster. Sunday will be Pellizzari’s third time in the finals.

“I’ve been here three times, I know what to change and how to prepare better,” he said. “Hopefully I can bring that to the team this year. As a team, we’ll be prepared mentally and physically.”

Concordia came out of the gates flying, scoring within the first five minutes from a try by Fred Kacou who torpedoed through the gaps left for him by the Vert et Or defense. Kacou played a key role in doubling the lead when he gave chase to a Sherbrooke winger forcing a fumble in their try-zone allowing flanker Paul Bouet to jump on the loose ball giving ConU a 10 point lead. The successful convert padded the lead to 12 points.

The Stingers were up 19-0 after a lineout on the Sherbrooke five yard line and was rushed in by second row Dan Albenas. This lead created a very nervous atmosphere for the visiting squad.

“Our forwards were eager to go,” said Albenas. “[Sherbrooke] are bigger, but we wanted that ball more.”

Before the half ended, a 12-point Sherbrooke surge put the visitors back in the game. ConU shook off the jitters and scored early in the second half thanks in large part to the aforementioned forwards who powered the ball through giving Concordia a two possession lead.

Sherbrooke cut the lead down to one possession with 10 minutes to go. The maroon and gold finally put the nail in the coffin as centre Joey Fulginiti used his quick feet to shift Sherbrooke’s defense for the final try.

Despite being so close late in the game, Fulginiti was confident in the team to come out with the win.

“The team didn’t have a doubt we were going to win,” he said. “But that last one just sucked the wind out of them.”

With the semi-final victory, Concordia will advance to the finals against the McGill Redmen, who beat Bishop’s 76-15 in the other semi-final game. The RSEQ Championship game will take place at Concordia Stadium next Sunday, Nov. 18 at 1:00 p.m. As for the Stinger faithfuls, who have witnessed two straight second place finishes, it’s appropriate to ask if this third time will be the charm.

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Stingers upset Gaiters in 17-8 victory

A raucous Bishop’s crowd was left silent on Friday night as the Stingers made their mark on the Gaiters homecoming, winning 17-8.

Even though ConU went down 3-0 early, the team was able to recover without letting the Gaiters add to the score. Heckles and chirps from the home crowd made communication between players rather difficult, to say the least.

In the final moments of the first half, Bishop’s would take a costly penalty. From 45 yards out, Stingers kicker Joey Fulginiti successfully sent the ball through the uprights to tie the match going into the second half.

“I heard about the [Bishop’s] crowd before, but you have to experience it,” said Fulginiti. “With everyone heckling you and screaming at you, the only thing you can do to silence them is to make the kicks.”

The game-tying kick at the end of the first half was a confidence booster for the Stingers.

“That was huge,” said coach Clive Gibson. “There was no time left and we managed to tie it. It’s a whole different way of looking at the game when you’re tied instead of being down going into the half.”

Concordia started the second half with a surge of energy, scoring a try that came off a scrum on the Bishop’s five. The Stingers repeatedly crashed the line before Vasken Redwanly sealed the score.

A Stingers substitution at half-time saw scrum half Kevin Elliott take the field. This move changed the game, as it brought a more control-oriented feeling.

“The gameplan was to be a little more controlled, a little more poised and you saw it from the forwards who just manhandled Bishop’s,” said Elliott, who believes the forwards are one of the main reasons behind the victory.

Although Bishop’s did manage to make it close by scoring a try, it was their kicking game that would cost them. The Gaiters missed three chances to put up points.

With eight minutes remaining, Con U sealed the game from Dario Pellizzari’s try off a scrum down on the Bishop’s five.

“We couldn’t afford to lose a scrum in their zone, so we saw an opening blind side and took it in,” said Pellizzari. “We got pushed back a little in the beginning, but we dug deep and played like we knew we could.”

Despite the win, Gibson still believes there are improvements to be made by his team.

“We need to play the game at our pace and control the tempo a little bit better,” he said.

 

The Stingers hope to work on this before their next game on Wednesday, Oct. 3 against McGill.

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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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Stingers fall to crosstown rivals

Concordia’s men’s rugby team took to the field to face the McGill Redmen on Wednesday night at Concordia Stadium. This was the first meeting between both schools since last year’s final.

The Stingers looked to settle the difference in this game, but poorly executed set plays led to another loss to their rivals. McGill won the match 22-10.

The first half was highlighted with great defense and heart from the Stingers. They opened the game with tons of pressure against a Redmen side that did not respond favourably to the tactics. McGill committed an abundance of penalties as a result.

The first points on the board came out of an outstanding tackle by Stingers flanker Paul Bouet. This sparked a lapse in judgment from the Redmen and gave rookie centre and kicker Joey Fulginiti great field position from 30 yards out. He easily made the kick to give the Stingers a three-point lead. The rest of the half was spent fending off the opposition.

Concordia rookie Fulginiti has integrated well with the team. During Wednesday’s game, he had five points against McGill and while some rookies feel pressure, Fulginiti otherwise.

“It’s a great atmosphere, as a rookie, you don’t feel like one and were a very close knit family,” he said.

A late penalty by Concordia allowed McGill one last effort to put up points. The Redmen successfully managed to keep the ball and scored a try. The conversion was good, giving them a 7-3 lead going into the second half.

While McGill played with some degree of difficulty in the first half, the second 40 minutes saw a completely different team. The Redmen were successful on a majority of their set-piece plays and managed to steal possession away from the Stingers. This gave the visitors’ backs ample opportunities to move the ball up the field. McGill scored two tries and kicked for three points to give them a 22-3 lead.

Losing the set piece battle made it difficult for the Stingers backs to see any possession. The team spent all but the last moments of the game in their half of the field. A lightning fast run by Freddy Kacou resulted in a late try thanks to an offload from teammate Fulginiti. These were the last points of the game.

“We’ve got the guys who are buying into the game plan, thinking tactically, and I’m very happy,” said head coach Clive Gibson. “There is still work to be done, but we have time. This gives us a good platform to work on.”

“It was a game of two different halves,” said Stingers flanker Bouet. “The first half we played pretty well, minus the mental breakdown at the end. I think in the second [half] we continued to make those same mental mistakes.”

The Stingers have an important fixture next week against Université de Montréal. A win is even more crucial as the team no longer has the luxury of a guaranteed playoff spot.

Concordia faces off against U de M on Friday, Sept. 21 at 9 p.m. at Concordia Stadium.

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Season opener ends in disappointment

Photos by Brianna Thicke

Hoping to make a statement against the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, the Stingers rugby team came up short in their home opener on Friday night.

“We put ourselves under a load of pressure and we didn’t need too,” said Head Coach Clive Gibson. “We did not play according to our game plan.”

The squad had prepared for a more positive start to the season, but it was clear that this is still a young roster.

The speed of the back line is one of the Stingers strongest assets. Unfortunately, the ball rarely made its way towards them in this game due to many penalties and dropped balls. Concordia was unable to retain ball possession and an abundance of unforced errors cost the team their first game of the season.

While the offensive side of the ball wasn’t clicking, the defense handled itself very well. They were constantly being threatened but managed to fend off the opposition for the majority of the game.

The lack of discipline was also a problem for the Stingers. They received two yellow cards which cost them a player for 10 minutes on both occasions.

“Being short a man for 20 minutes of the game makes it very tough to win,” added Gibson.

Concordia managed to play well throughout the first penalty by applying a lot of pressure. On the second one, the defense was strong.

In the later stages of the match, Sherbrooke capitalized over a tired Stingers team, scoring a try in the final 10 minutes of the game to put them up 14-13. This would become the final score of the game.

Concordia will not have much time to practice this week as they play on Wednesday against rivals McGill. The team will look to improve on decision-making with the ball, their game plan and teamwork.

“The level of play is too high,” added Gibson. “If they don’t learn to play as a team, they’re never going to win, not at this level.”

This loss, however, was not perceived as a back-breaker by captain Dario Pellizzari. He said this loss should not be viewed as a step back in the squad’s progress, but rather a stepping stone for the greater challenges that await the Stingers in the next few weeks.

“Fortunately we have another seven games in the season to pull ourselves together and make a cup run,” he said. “This loss may prove to do us [good] in the end.”

 

The game against McGill on Wednesday is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Concordia Stadium.

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Third time’s a charm?

Being always the bridesmaid in back-to-back finals, the men’s rugby squad kicked off camp with one goal in mind: win the championship.

Each year the roster shuffles. Despite a promising rookie class, this year’s group will need to dig deep in order to fill the gap left from the losses of last year’s split captains Jimmy Bang and Jonathan Dextras-Romagnino

“Losing the leadership of two captains is huge,” said head coach Clive Gibson. Luckily for them, new team captain Dario Pellizzari has been “stepping up in a big way,” said Gibson. “He’s done many positive things that will make team unity very strong this year.”

“Championships are made through overcoming failure and adversity,” said Pellizzari. “The guys know what it feels like to lose two years in a row and now we know what to expect.”

For the majority of the student body, the last weeks of August are the last grasp at summer freedom. But for the Stingers rugby team, it’s the beginning of training camp and this means the fall season is just around the corner.

“Everyone’s looking at you for inspiration,” Pellizzari explained. “I was able to instill my values in the team this winter: work ethic, accountability and respect. If we stick to these values throughout the year, we’ll see great results.”

Along with this common set of values, a ‘no excuses’ attitude has been adopted by the veterans down to the rookies of this year’s team.

While Gibson was adamant about keeping his coaching strategies off the record, he did mention that he, along with his coaching staff, are not practitioners of the traditional rugby game. This is one of the many reasons for their success as of late.

“As a coaching staff, we are extremely committed to what we’d like to consider innovation,” said Gibson. “We are not traditional rugby minds. We’re always looking for that new angle or new approach. I think we may have found it.”

This year marked a very progressive time for the Stingers for the team has hired someone to recruit players on CÉGEP teams. This will allow the coach, who used to take on this role, to focus more on his team.

“I think it might be our year,” admitted Gibson. “There are still some key elements that need to be sorted out, but we’ve got time.”

The Stingers open their season at home on Friday, Sept. 7 at 9 p.m. against Sherbrooke.

 

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Stingers gear up for a killer season

Concordian file photo

Before students step into classes on Sept. 5, the Stingers’ season will have already begun. The first team to play is the football team starting the 2012 season with a home-opener against Bishop’s on Sept. 1 at 1 p.m..

For football fans, this will be the only chance to see the Stingers play at home before the end of the month. Following this game against Bishop’s, the team will play three road games against Université de Montreal on Sept. 7, St. Francis Xavier on Sept. 15 and will face off against Bishop’s once more on Sept. 22. Other important dates include an away game to rivals McGill on Oct. 13 and a home game against Laval – the defending champions – to conclude the regular season on Oct. 27.

Soccer enthusiasts will have to wait one day after the school year’s arrival as the men’s and women’s teams each have an away fixture against U de M to kick off the season on Sept. 6. The men’s team looks to improve on last year’s two losses against the same school. The women’s team seeks revenge after being outscored 1-9 by Montreal over both matches last season. The home opener for both teams will be three days later on the ninth. The double header starts at 1 p.m. for the men’s while the women’s team play at 3 p.m. both against UQTR.

Still in the first week of school, the rugby teams play their home-openers on Friday, Sept. 7. The women’s team plays first at 7 p.m. against Sherbrooke. Two hours later, the men’s team takes on Sherbrooke. If you miss the first home-opener, both Stingers teams are in action the following Wednesday. They will welcome McGill in the same time slots.

Hockey fans will have to wait until October to see their Stingers teams play. The men’s team play rivals McGill at home on Oct. 5. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Ed Meagher Arena. Both teams split the season series last year with two wins apiece. The women’s first game is also at home against McGill, although not on the same day. The game is scheduled for Oct. 13 at 2:30 p.m.

As for the most success, last year’s action was on the court. The Stingers basketball season runs from early November until the end of February. The men’s team’s quest to win a third straight championship begins on Nov. 7 at 8 p.m. on the road against UQAM. Their home-opener will take place on Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. against Laval. The women’s team will also play on those same days against the same opponents. They will play an earlier 6 p.m. game on both occasions. Both the men’s and women’s teams will participate in at least two pre-season tournaments.

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Looking back on the 2011-2012 Stingers teams

It was a mixture of highs and lows for Concordia’s Stingers teams last year. The most successful was the men’s basketball team which won their league, the playoffs, and had a shot at the national title.

This team is a favourite for the championship almost every season. Playing in a league which includes McGill, UQAM, Laval, and Bishop’s, the Stingers have topped their division for the last two seasons. Head coach John Dore, who is entering his 24th straight season with the team, led them to a 14-2 record last year, finishing four wins ahead of their biggest competitors McGill. The Stingers went on to beat UQAM by 30 points in the playoff finals. However, in the national championship, the team lost both games.

On the women’s side of the court, the Stingers finished second in the league and made it to the finals. The team opened the season on a high note, beating rivals, and eventual champions, McGill 75-66 on the road. Head Coach Keith Pruden, who has been behind the bench since 1995, led the team to a respectful 8-8 record. Although the women’s basketball team finished the season in second place, they boasted the league’s best defense. In the playoffs, the Stingers cruised past Bishop’s in the semi-finals, but fell to McGill in the finals.

On the ice, the men’s hockey team had a year filled with ups and downs. In the 10-team OUA East division, a division featuring both Ontario and Quebec universities, the Stingers missed the playoffs due to the second tie-breaker. The team tied with Queen’s University with 28 points, with both teams sharing the head-to-head record. It came down to goal differential in both their season games. One of the highlights last year was a thrilling 4-2 victory against McGill late in the season keeping their playoff hopes alive.

The women’s hockey team ended the 2011-12 season in last place. They were four points outside the playoffs. With a record of 4-15-1, the Stingers were battling Ottawa for the final playoff spot. A 6-2 home win over Ottawa in the second-to-last game of the season wasn’t enough to keep their playoff dreams alive.

On the football field, it took a victory in the final game of the season to send the team into the playoffs. The Stingers finished the year with four wins and five defeats, good enough for the fourth and final playoff spot. In the playoffs, the team fell to the eventual Quebec champions Laval Rouge et Or.

In the other kind of football, the men’s soccer team finished the season in sixth place with three wins, eight losses, and one draw. The Stingers were only seven points away from the playoffs. Head coach Lloyd Barker and the rest of the squad expect a better season this year.

The women’s soccer team also finished in second-to-last place. The Stingers finished in ninth place with two victories, nine losses, and three draws matching their 2010 record. Though, the women’s team does play in a difficult division which is dominated by U de M, McGill, Sherbrooke, and Laval.

In the short rugby season, the men’s team finished in third place with one win, four losses, and one tie.  A four-team division meant the Stingers automatically made the playoffs. In the semi-finals, they narrowly beat second place Bishop’s before losing to McGill in the finals.

The women’s rugby team had a similar season, which also took them to the finals. The Stingers finished the year in second place out of six teams and qualified for the playoffs. Their semi-final game was a win against McGill at home but the they ultimately lost to an undefeated Laval in the finals.

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