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Disappointing road trip for the Stingers

Concordia was on the road this past weekend as they faced off against the Queen’s Gaels on Friday night and the Toronto Blues on Saturday.

It ended up being a disappointing road trip for the Stingers as they lost to Queen’s 3-2 in a shootout, and 7-2 to Toronto. They head into the semester break in ninth place in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario University Athletics League with a 4-10-2 record.

On Friday against the Gaels, the Stingers lost a close game but salvaged a point, despite being outplayed. By the end of the first, Queen’s had outshot Concordia 18-5 and led 1-0. The Stingers bounced back with two straight goals by Etienne Archambault and Philip Richer. The Gaels tied the game 2-2 halfway through the third and it remained that way until the Gaels won it in a shootout.

The Stingers were lucky to even get a point against Queen’s, thanks to starting goaltender Loic Boivin. Boivin kept Concordia in the game as he saved 50 out of the 52 shots he faced.

The Gaels doubled Concordia’s shot total, as the Stingers only had 26 shots all game. Had the Stingers been able to pull off a win in shootouts, it would have been the perfect ending to Boivin’s impressive performance.

Concordia’s final game of the road trip was against the Toronto Blues. The Blues jumped out to an early 2-0 lead halfway through the first. Concordia was able to tie the game with goals by Ben Dubois at the end of the first, and Alexandre Monahan at the start of the second.

Just when things seemed to be turning around for the Stingers, the Blues decided to take over. From five minutes into the second period the Blues went on to score five unanswered goals and cruised to a victory over the Stingers.

Even Boivin’s heroics could not help the Stingers in this game. He was pulled shortly into the third period after letting in five goals on 35 shots. Boivin’s replacement, Antonio Mastropietro, could not prevent the Blues offensive attack as he let in two goals on nine shots.

Concordia had opportunities but failed to take advantage of them. They peppered the Blues’ goaltender Brett Willows with 33 shots, but only beat him twice. The power play has been a big problem for the Stingers this season and Saturday night was no different. Concordia went 0-for-3 while Toronto went 2-for-4.

 

The Stingers have a month off for the holiday break before getting back on the ice. Their next game is at Ed Meagher Arena on Jan. 5 against the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The following day Concordia will play host to the Carleton Ravens at 3 p.m.     

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Concordia defeats rivals and improves record to 4-0

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team edged out the McGill Martlets, 72-63. File photo.

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team edged out the McGill Martlets, 72-63, in a back-and-forth game. Concordia is now undefeated with four wins and no losses.

Right from the tip off the Stingers caught McGill off-guard, scoring the game’s first 15 points thanks to their swarming zone defence and their deadly three point accuracy.

“My shots were going in and we were just playing good as a team,” said Stingers forward Richelle Gregoire.

Midway through the first quarter, Martlets’ centre Valérie L’Ecuyer fell down hard on her ankle and didn’t return to the game. This gave Concordia a clear advantage.

“You don’t like to say things like that,” said Stingers coach Keith Pruden. “But yes, that made our job a little bit easier.”

The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team edged out the McGill Martlets, 72-63.

The Stingers went on to outscore the Martlets in the first quarter with a score of 23-9.

“I was very pleased with how we started but at no point did I think we were going to blow them out,” said Pruden.

The second quarter was a different story. After a few adjustments made on both offense and defense by McGill, the Martlets were able to cut the Stingers’ lead down to three points, in part thanks to Anneth Him-Lazarenko’s 12 first-half points. The score at the half was 34-31.

The story was more of the same in the third quarter as McGill’s dominant post game paired with bench player Marie-Pier Bastrash’s sudden hot hand helped them take the lead, for the first time of the game and into the fourth quarter by a score of 52-50.

However in the fourth quarter the Stingers regained their confidence that had propelled them on their first quarter run. Coach Pruden was satisfied with his team’s performance.

“I expected McGill to make it close but we found a way to win,” he said.

In the fourth quarter, Gregoire hit a quick three to help Concordia regain the lead. From there, Concordia never looked back. Led by Kaylah Barrett’s team high 21 points, the Stingers ended up winning the quarter by a score of 22-11 leading them to the victory over the Martlets.

“It’s my job to pick up my team and go forward. I vibe off everyone’s energy,” said Barrett. “If we’re all doing well together, it’s all just a continuous thing.”

“We’re going to try to keep improving,” said coach Pruden. “I do think we’re better than last year.”

 

The Stingers will hope to remain undefeated before heading into the winter break with a final game at Laval on Nov. 30. Tip off against the Rouge et Or is at 6 p.m..

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Stingers win big in home opener

The Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team dismissed the Laval Rouge et Or in their first home game of the season on Thursday night winning 90-62. Concordia is now undefeated with two wins and no losses.

Laval caught the Stingers off guard, starting the game with five quick points. But the Stingers stayed in the game and picked out their opportunities to regain the lead.

Kafil Eyitayo inspired the Stingers’ run to take the lead when he assertively blocked a Rouge et Or player’s shot, energizing the crowd and his teammates. Eyitayo later received a pass from point guard Adam Chmielewski to score the go-ahead layup and give Concordia their first lead with less than a minute to go in the opening quarter.

“It was a home opener, it meant a lot for us,” said Eyitayo. “Coaches told us to come hard in this game and it will set the tone for the rest of the year, and that’s what we did.”

This was the only lead-change of the game, as the Stingers dominated their opponents and extended their advantage after every quarter.

“We came out with a sense of urgency,” said Chmielewski. “Unlike last game against UQÀM, we came out with a better defensive energy.”

The Rouge et Or changed their defensive tactics several times to stop the onslaught of Concordia’s offense. In the second quarter, Concordia saw Laval play zone defense and unexpected full-court pressing, both of which the Stingers easily broke down, leading to open shots and layups.

Despite a buzzer beater breakaway dunk at the end of the first half and overall dominant performance by the Stingers, Laval was still in the game, losing only 46-34.

It was in the first three minutes of the second half where it became clear the Stingers were going to win, and win big. Evens Laroche, reigning MVP of the league, opened the scoring in the third quarter sparking an 11-2 Concordia run, quickly creating a 21-point gap between the teams.

“This isn’t a one-man team,” said Laroche. “This is what makes us a strong team. We have many players who can contribute.”

The Stingers went on to win the third quarter by outscoring Laval 23-11, extending their lead to 22 points. In the fourth quarter, an alley-oop to Jean-Andre Moussignac made it an inconceivable 30 point deficit for the Rouge et Or to overcome with two minutes left to play.

Last time these two teams met, the Stingers barely edged out a one point win in the conference semi-finals.

Head coach John Dore pointed to the improved defense to explain Thursday’s largely improved performance.

“We played great team defense, limited their three point shooting,” said Dore. “Offensively we’re more in sync now. That chemistry takes time to develop, but we’re getting there.”

On Saturday night, the Stingers squared off against the Bishop’s Gaiters at Bishop’s University. The home team had a 10-point lead with three minutes to go. Concordia pulled off a great comeback, winning the game 77-76. The Stingers were down five with 11 seconds to go, but Evens Laroche scored five straight points to rob Bishop’s of the win.

 

The Stingers will try to stay undefeated when they face the McGill Redmen this Saturday, Nov. 24 at 4 p.m. The game will be played at Concordia Gymnasium inside the Athletic Complex.

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Men’s hockey gets shut out in Toronto

The Stingers play against the York University Lions. Photo by Forster Chan
The Stingers play against the York University Lions. Photo by Forster Chan

York University’s Lions imposed their roar on the lowly-ranked Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team, routing the visitors 5-0.

The Stingers, who began the game winless in their last six games, played like a defeated team from start to finish.

Stingers head coach Kevin Figsby said his team’s effort wasn’t what it should have been.

“Right now, the guys are not playing within a collective concept,” he said. “They’re playing as individuals. We need our guys to play as a five-man unit.”

It didn’t take long for the Lions to force their will on the Stingers. Three minutes into the game, a lucky bounce rebounded off Lions forward Jesse Messier in front of the net, throwing Stingers’ netminder Loic Boivin off-balance. With the ensuing shot hitting the post, Messier’s line-mate John De Gray potted the puck into an open Concordia net.

The Stingers, who were visibly without their skating legs, had their first quality scoring chance when forward Olivier Hinse found himself alone facing Lions netminder Andrew Perugini with a juicy rebound opportunity. Perugini robbed him with the flashy glove save.

“The guys are squeezing the sticks too much,” said Figsby. “They’re frustrated with not scoring goals.”

Moments later, the Lions took the puck end to end. The play developed into a two-on-one, with Lions forward Evan Gravenor wristing one past Boivin.

Just before the end of the first period, York forward Troy Barss’ weak backhand shot creeped Boivin to make it 3-0 for the home team.

Although the Stingers began the second period with some much needed energy and a stronger forecheck, it didn’t pay dividends as Lions defenseman Tyler Mort hit a slapshot from the blue line past a screened Boivin. The goal incited a goalie change, but to no avail.

With York scoring for the fifth and final time on Stingers backup goaltender Antonio Mastropietro late in the second, the game was out of reach and was starting to get nasty with players exchanging some errant high sticks, crushing body checks, and goalie snow-showers.

The last five minutes of the third period featured an eruption of penalties, one of which was a 10-minute game misconduct handed to Stingers centre Kyle Armstrong after his antics during a scrum in Perugini’s crease.

On Saturday, Concordia faced off against the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks at Sun life Arena. Despite the Stingers outshooting the Golden Hawks, Laurier won the game 7-4.

The Stingers are now winless in eight games and are currently ranked ninth in the eastern conference of the Ontario University Athletics League, with a 2-7-1 record.

 

Concordia will return home to Ed Meagher Arena to play the Carleton Ravens on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 2 p.m.. The following day, the team will head to Ottawa to face the Gee-Gees at the same time.

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Healthy body, healthy mind

Graphic by Jennifer Kwan
Graphic by Jennifer Kwan

Much has been said about playing sports at an early age and its effects on academic success.

Studies have shown that participation in sport boosts popularity, promotes self-confidence, and raises educational aspirations.

Some studies have shown that school sports increase conformity which in turn increases access to rewards in the system, such as good grades. For this reason, schools that invest in extracurricular activities are able to reap all the benefits.

But does the same apply to student athletes here in Canada? Kevin Milonja certainly believes so. Milonja is a fitness instructor for a hockey excellence program and teaches math to grade eight students at Heritage Regional high school in St-Hubert.

“The research I’ve compiled says that yes, sports do have a positive impact on students’ studies,” said the 24-year-old, who is also a personal trainer at Nautilus Gym.

He attributed classroom success with particular skills that are learned via participation in sports such as organization.

“You have to organize your time around the sports you play,” said Milonja. “That means you can’t procrastinate; you have to organize effectively, which leads to better grades.”

While organizational skills help avoid procrastination, there are other incentives to participate in sporting activities.

According to Mike Rinaldi, a campus recreation co-ordinator at Concordia University, regular physical activity, which can take a variety forms, such as sports, aerobics, etc., can reduce stress, improve the quality of sleep, strengthen the immune system, and promote relaxation and energy — factors that help with the daily academic grind students experience.

“Students will feel less tired, tend to be more focused on their academic goals and are more resilient to the mental and physical stresses brought on by academic expectations,” said Rinaldi.

For Rinaldi, a healthy body is a prerequisite for a healthy mind, but that sentiment is not shared by all.

In a summary report entitled Boys’ Academic Achievement, commissioned by the Quebec Government, researchers state otherwise. The report cites a number of school principals questioned in a survey, stating the impact of sports does not extend beyond its immediate effect on student’s behaviour, motivation, self-esteem, and class attendance.

Researchers behind the report rejected the notion that sports can have a positive impact on academic results, but some would argue that this stands in stark contrast to reality.

The Ministry of Education, Leisure and Sports has devoted significant resources to student-athletes and there are approximately 300 sports-study programs across Quebec.

While they are designed to recognize and develop promising athletes throughout the province, the program has prioritized academic achievement. Students who fail to reach academic requirements are dropped from the program.

In 2009, the ministry took the program to new heights. Student athletes who are designated as ‘exceptional’ are now offered additional pedagogical assistance. The assistance comes in the form of tutors and teachers who are available for instruction during off-days.

The purpose of this new initiative is designed to ensure that exceptional athletes, who are bound to miss school for extracurricular activities, get the necessary academic assistance.

 

 

 

 

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Concordia starts season with win over UQÀM

The Stingers played against UQAM last week. Photo by Andrew Dobrowolsky

The Concordia Stingers needed an inspirational fourth quarter rally to defeat the Citadins at the Centre Sportif UQÀM.

In the Wednesday night season-opener, the Stingers were largely outplayed for the first 40 minutes. A 33-9 scoring run, led by forward Evens Laroche and guard Jerome Blake, helped Concordia squeak by with a five-point victory.  While the win was nothing short of spectacular, the team was none too thrilled with their game.

“We didn’t play defense for three quarters,” said assistant coach Ernie Rosa, in his 19th year with the team. “Our offense was stagnant and we didn’t work as hard as we could have.”

The Stingers played against UQAM last week. Photo by Andrew Dobrowolsky

It was a tale of two completely different games.

Laroche put his team ahead in the first minute of the game with a layup off the rush. But that would be their only lead in the first half as the Citadins shot a decent .469 from the court, outscoring the Stingers 37-25 at the half.

Matters worsened when the Stingers offense couldn’t turn Citadins turnovers into scoring plays. They soon found themselves down 60-41, with one last quarter to play.

“The thing I told the guys is ‘hope, you have to be hopeful’,” said Laroche, last year’s all-Canadian standout. “Even if you’re losing by 15, you have to be hopeful that you can win the game.”

The men in maroon and gold did just that.

Laroche came through in the clutch, stealing a Citadins pass early in the fourth quarter. He also drew praise from his coaches.

“At the end of a game, he’s a guy you want on the floor with the ball,” said Rosa. “He’s a guy who wants to win at any cost.”

It was a sweet victory for Laroche who, just a few months ago, was uncertain whether he would be ready for the season-opener.

Laroche, in his fifth and final year of Canadian Interuniversity basketball eligibility, injured his knee during a daily workout. After an MRI revealed a serious case of patellar tendonitis in his right knee, his season was in jeopardy.

“When I came here and they told me I couldn’t play, it was frustrating,” said Laroche.

After a month-long rest, at his doctor’s behest, Laroche did what he usually does: train hard.

That meant putting in extra hours at the gym to get back in form. He credits daily stretching, icing, and much rest between workouts for his recovery.

It wasn’t long before he was ready for his first action of the 2012-13 season. Much like the Stingers’ comeback victory against UQÀM on Wednesday, Laroche too had a sweet comeback of his own.

 

The Stingers opened the season 1-0 and are preparing for their home-opener against the Laval Rouge et Or on Nov. 15. Tip off at Concordia Gymnasium is at 8 p.m. following the women’s game.

 

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Athletes of the month for October

Men’s hockey – George Lovatsis

The men’s hockey team started the season with two straight wins, but have now lost six straight games. The two wins were against McGill and Carleton. Lovatsis finished the month with six points in as many games. Against McGill, the Stingers forward scored two goals, one shorthanded, and added an assist. He was named first star of the game. Lovatsis was only held off the score sheet in the final two games of the month.

 

Women’s hockey – Veronique Laramee-Paquette

It hasn’t been an easy start to the season for the women’s hockey team gaining just one win in their first five games. Eight of the players on the team are rookies. One player who has stood out was sophomore forward Veronique Laramee-Paquette. She had a five game point streak in October, leading the team with three goals while adding three assists to give her six points in just five games.

– David S. Landsman, Staff writer

 

Men’s rugby – Joseph Fulginiti

The men’s rugby team played three games throughout the month and they were all on the road. This Sunday, the Stingers wrapped up the regular season and secured first place in the league. Fulginiti, who plays centre and is the team’s kicker, led with 40 points this season. He had 19 points in October and was the MVP against Sherbrooke on Oct. 14.

 

Women’s rugby – Bianca Farella

Farella is our choice for the second month in a row. She was dominant in the RSEQ Finals against Laval scoring three tries and was named MVP that game. Farella was named both the CIS and RSEQ Rookie of the Year and was selected as an all-Canadian by the CIS.

“[She is a] player that we all relied on in big games,” said coach Graeme McGravie. “She has been the player to watch in RSEQ rugby this month, leading the team to the championship. She gets better with every game we play.”

 

Men’s soccer – Andrew Bryan

Bryan’s performance during the month of October has earned him a spot on our list again. He scored three goals in four appearances throughout the month. He ended the regular season with five goals, one behind the league leaders. Bryan was named to RSEQ’s first all-star team as a result. During the year, he was used as the lone striker in coach Lloyd Barker’s formation.

 

Women’s soccer – Jennifer Duff

After a great month of September, Duff’s form continued throughout October. She ended the regular season with 12 goals, the second best of the league. Duff was the RSEQ and CIS athlete of the week from Oct. 21 to 27. According to coach Jorge Sanchez, who picked up RSEQ Coach of the Year honours, this was the first time a soccer player from Concordia got this achievement. Duff was also named to RSEQ’s first all-star team.

 

Cross-Country – Ryan Noel-Hodge

He finished third at the provincial championships and second at the Rouge et Or Invitation. He’s in his final year of Anthropology and will run his last race for Concordia at the CIS Championships in London, Ontario on Nov. 10.

– Cross-Country head coach John Lofranco

 

Football – Kris Robertson

Kris Robertson had a stellar October, racking up three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He had 481 total return yards and 12 total tackles. Robertson solidified his spot as one of RSEQ’s best returners and defensive backs, earning himself a spot on the all-star team.

– Andrew Maggio, Staff writer

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Concordia finishes the weekend with two losses

The first big weekend of November resulted with the women’s hockey team collecting a single point out of a possible four. They dropped a 4-1 decision to the Ravens Saturday evening at Carleton, and lost 4-3 in overtime to the Ottawa Gee-Gees the following afternoon at home.

The Stingers started Saturday evening’s game strong, with the offense getting four shots in the first three minutes against Ravens’ goaltender Eri Kiribuchi. Her counterpart for the Stingers, Carolanne Lavoie-Pilon, was equally up to the task turning aside several in-close chances. Lavoie-Pilon finished the evening with 28 saves.

“It really was a hard game for everyone, nothing seemed to be going right,” explained Lavoie-Pilon. “We kept giving them space, and tonight, we didn’t play as a team.”

Late in the second with the Ravens leading 3-0, the Stingers’ powerplay went to work. Despite having difficulties on the advantage early in the season, sophomore forward Audrey Morand tucked one past Kiribuchi to reduce the deficit to 3-1.

“After we scored we seemed to gain momentum,” said Morand following the game. “But we weren’t capable of putting things together and didn’t play our system.”

Sunday afternoon at Ed Meagher Arena, the Stingers were hungrier. However, their special team woes continued, as they were unable to capitalize on four powerplays in the first period alone. Miscommunication led to some turnovers, which almost turned costly. Concordia goaltender Chelsey Hodges was busy, finishing with the afternoon with 38 saves.

The second period seemed to start with a bang. With Gee-Gees defender Genevieve Legault in the box for hooking, the Stingers powerplay went to work. Jaymee Shell got the puck and flipped it over Ottawa goaltender Cassie Seguin for her second goal of the season.

Just over two minutes later, again deep in the Ottawa zone, Emilie Bocchia stripped the Gee-Gees defense of the puck and fed a wide open Veronique Laramee-Paquette who made no mistake scoring from a backhand. This gave the Stingers a 2-0 lead just over four minutes into the second frame.

“The way we went into the second was as if we were a completely new team,” said Hodges. “Everyone was amazing and everything was working.”

The Stingers continued a strong period until just after the 13-minute mark. With Gee-Gees captain Fannie Desforges in the box for hooking, the Stingers powerplay line tried to break out from behind Hodges’ net when a misplay of the puck by led to Gee-Gees’ Alicia Blomberg taking the puck and scoring, reducing the lead to 2-1.

“I think in order to succeed players need to sacrifice themselves,” explained captain Lawton. “I guess you have to be fearless and know that it’s helping the team.”

Just under five minutes into the third, the Stingers were attacking again. Lawton was in possession, and with the Ottawa goaltender down and out of position, she lifted the puck just enough to increase their lead to 3-1.

Ottawa reduced the lead to 3-2 at 16:22 of the third period when Janie Paquette scored from the slot.

The Stingers took some bad penalties in the minutes that followed. Laramee-Paquette took a delay of game penalty with the team already down one player. Ottawa pulled their goalie to play a six-on-four battle, which paid dividends when captain Desforges tied the game at three goals apiece with 40 seconds left on the clock.

“It seemed as if we were giving up too many chances,” said Hodges. “It looked as if although we had a lead that we had already lost focus.”

Overtime was a back-and-forth affair with neither side getting many good chances, until in the last minute before shootouts. Ottawa’s Desforges was fed another pass, left alone inside the hash-marks and made no mistake shelfing her second of the afternoon and giving the Gee-Gees the improbable comeback victory.

“It’s certainly a big disappointment for everybody; we played stupid and made bonehead plays” said Concordia coach Les Lawton. “It’s as if we’re afraid to lose, we need to fight harder, but the attitude is negative and we don’t go for the jugular. Keep it simple.”

“I thought we played well, but didn’t play a full 60 minutes,” said Stingers captain Mallory Lawton. “We took a couple penalties late that were costly.”

The Stingers will hit the ice twice next weekend, including a home game against the Montreal Carabins on Friday. Concordia will then head to McGill to face the number one ranked Martlets on Saturday afternoon.

 

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A rollercoaster season for football team

The Concordia Stingers football team ended their season with a hard-fought loss against the Laval Rouge et Or, 32-19, capping a tumultuous year that saw a rash of inconsistent plays and a controversy that ended the Stingers’ playoff hopes early.

After a solid exhibition win against the University of Toronto, the Stingers escaped their season and home opener against Bishop’s University with a 42-36 win, nearly blowing a big halftime lead. They were then blown out of the water by the powerful Université de Montréal squad, but bounced back with a win against St. Francis Xavier a week later.

That’s where the good vibes ended, for a little while, anyways.

The Stingers endured a three game losing streak that put them in a precarious position with regards to their playoff standing. At 2-4, they would need a near-miracle to squeak into the playoffs, and then would have had to line up against one of the elite Quebec squads.

Instead, the self-disclosure of an ineligible player on the roster resulted in major sanctions being handed down by the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec and the Canadian Interuniversity Sport, voiding both of Concordia’s regular season wins, dropping them to 0-6 and ending any hopes of making the playoffs.

There is no doubt it was a crushing blow; athletes in all sports spend hours, days, months and years preparing for their sport. One could argue all time and effort spent preparing for what the Stingers had hoped would be a breakout year suddenly seemed for nought, as if none of it had ever mattered. The work put in and sacrifices made for those wins were suddenly rendered meaningless by what was deemed an “administrative error.”

Others may have crumbled in that spot, but the Stingers refused to lay down and die. They bounced back with a 43-40 win against cross-town rival McGill, a game that will no doubt be ingrained in the minds of these players for the rest of their lives. They sent a message to the rest of the league that day: you can knock us down, but you can’t knock us out.

Alas, the spirited effort will go down as the team’s only win in 2012, but the Stingers showed their mettle in the toughest of situations, not only against McGill, but also in defeats against Sherbrooke and Laval to close out the season.

Nathan Taylor, one of the team’s defensive leaders, who played his final game in a Stingers uniform against Laval, summed up a sentiment that is no doubt shared by his teammates:

“It has been an honour playing for the Concordia Stingers,” he said. “This season doesn’t dampen my pride one bit. We had to play through things that most players never even think of, and that builds tremendous character.”

The Stingers finished the 2012 season with a record of one win and eight losses. This is the team’s worst record dating past 1988.

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Own goal eliminates Stingers from playoffs

After McGill and Montréal roster issues, the Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team found themselves—unexpectedly—in the RSEQ playoffs. The Stingers only had a few days to prepare for Friday night’s match in Quebec City against the Laval Rouge et Or.

Less than a week ago, on Sunday afternoon, both teams met in the final match of the regular season at Concordia Stadium. The Rouge et Or won the encounter 7-2. At the time, Concordia was already mathematically eliminated from playing in the post-season.

Friday night’s playoff match saw a rejuvenated Stingers side. Head coach Lloyd Barker lined his side up in a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation. In terms of the starting lineup, there weren’t any surprises.

The opening seconds of the match were almost too good to be true for the maroon and gold. From the kick off, Concordia worked the ball inside the Laval penalty area. Rouge et Or goalkeeper Vincent Cournoyer had to make a good save to keep the game squared.

In the 10th minute, Laval midfielder Kevin Cossette and Concordia defender Enos Osei collided in the air, just outside the Stingers’ box. Cossette, a former Montreal Impact Academy player, went down and was motionless for 20 minutes after briefly losing consciousness. Fortunately he regained it as he was being stretchered off the pitch and into an ambulance.

Despite the serious injury, the match continued. In the 12th minute of stoppage time, Concordia almost went up after Andrew Bryan’s quick shot from outside the box struck the Laval crossbar.

Three minutes later, the Rouge et Or opened the scoring. A seemingly normal header back pass from a Stingers defender ended up in the back of the goal after a miscommunication with goalkeeper Remo Taraschi.

This was the only goal of the eventful first half.

“It was a very difficult moment,” Coach Barker said, referring to the own goal. “We fought like lions and felt our opponents didn’t deserve to be leading us at that point in the match.”

The second half was much quieter than the first half. On the hour mark, Laval should have doubled their lead, but Taraschi made an important save from a shot inside the box.

In the 79th minute, Laval had another opportunity to add the insurance marker. A good combination play on the flank left a Laval striker alone inside the box. Once again, Taraschi was forced to make a kick save to keep his side in the match.

Concordia was unable to find the target in this match, as final score ended 1-0 in favour of the Rouge et Or.

“We deserved a better result because we matched Laval in every department,” Barker said. “I’m certain we even surprised them with our great effort.”

The Stingers played an almost-perfect road match. The team came out strong and stayed aggressive throughout the 90 minutes. Pressure was relentless and they limited Laval’s opportunities. Barker says the team just lacked conviction when they were attacking.

“We needed someone to provide a moment of individual brilliance,” he said. “But it was not to be on the night. Our effort was not reflected on the scoreboard. I could not be more proud of how they all fought with all they had.”

With the loss, Concordia’s season is officially over. This was ConU’s first playoff game since 2003. That year the team lost to Montréal, 0-1, in the RSEQ finals.

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Back in business

With the soccer season coming to a close this past weekend, the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec has announced major changes to the men’s final standings.

The McGill Redmen and the Montreal Carabins both admitted to using an ineligible player throughout the entire 2012 season. As a result, both teams have forfeited all matches in which the ineligible player took part in.

According to the statement released by RSEQ, “both institutions revealed to the RSEQ and Canadian Interuniversity Sport that they inadvertently allowed the participation of a player who is 20 years of age or older (as of Aug. 16) and who participated in a professional soccer match without respecting the mandatory 365 day waiting period. The CIS considers all soccer leagues outside of Canada and the United States to be professional in nature.

Montreal and McGill have been two of the top teams in the league over the past decade. Since 2002, the Carabins have topped the league eight times out of 10 and have been to the RSEQ finals seven times. They won the championship six times. McGill qualified for the playoff in eight of the past 10 seasons. They went to the finals four times and won the championship once in 2002.

The Redmen used an ineligible player in 11 of their 12 matches this season. This means every win or draw has now become a 0-3 loss. Seven of their 12 matches now have this as a score line, including both matches played against Concordia. McGill’s final record sees the team with zero wins, 12 losses and zero draws.

The Carabins are in the same boat as McGill. Seven of their matches have resulted in a 0-3 loss. Some games were not affected; therefore the team finishes the season with four wins, eight losses and zero draws. Both wins against Concordia have been forfeited.

For the Stingers, this means the team has added four wins to their season total. Their new record of five wins, six losses and one draw means the team has jumped from last place in the league to fourth place, and more importantly into the final playoff spot.

Stingers head coach Lloyd Barker believes certain roster rules should be revised. Along with McGill and Montreal, a similar thing happened to the Sherbrooke Vert et Or earlier in the season.

“The situation is odd indeed with so many schools in breach of league rules. Clearly the rules need re-visiting,” he said.

Stingers head coach Lloyd Barker believes certain roster rules should be revised. Along with McGill and Montreal, a similar thing happened to the Sherbrooke Vert et Or earlier in the season.

“The situation is odd indeed with so many schools in breach of league rules. Clearly the rules need re-visiting,” he said.

This will be Concordia’s first time in the playoffs since 2003. They made the RSEQ finals that year, but lost to the Carabins. In the past 10 seasons, the team has only played playoff soccer twice.

The Stingers will now play the Laval Rouge et Or this Friday, November 2 at Stade Telus in Quebec City. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The match is available online on Rouge et Or T.V.

 

Post updated on Nov. 1.

Categories
Sports

Concordia’s not-so-secret weapon

Photo provided by Bianca Farella

At a glance, Bianca Farella is a regular Concordia student. In reality, though, she’s one of Canada’s rising rugby stars, and is a fierce competitor opponents could do without.

The Concordia Stingers women’s rugby team found a rookie sensation in Farella; the 20-year-old Côte St-Luc native joins Concordia after spending the last two and a half years honing her skills at Dawson College.

“Other schools like Acadia, St. Francis Xavier, and Laval asked me [to join their programs], but I like to stay close to home,” said Farella. “I’m happy I decided to stay.”

Farella, who is studying behavioural neuroscience, is the farthest thing from a rookie in the figurative sense — she led the entire country in tries with 12 in six games, including five in the Stingers’ home-opener, an 80-0 win ober the Sherbrooke Vert & Or. She’s also made her mark at the provincial and international levels, most notably the Team Canada Sevens squad and the Nations Cup team.

Farella’s rugby career began during her first year of high school at Miss Edgar’s and Miss Cramp’s School and she hasn’t looked back since.

“I started in grade seven because I wanted to try something new, and the only spring sports they had at my high school were badminton and tennis,” said Farella. “I’m more of a team sport kind of person, so I chose rugby and I stuck with it.”

It was only later on in her career that Farella started to realize that she was talented enough to compete with the best players locally, nationally and, eventually, internationally.

“I was told by my coaches that I was good enough to play at this level, and when I got there I realized it that I could,” she said. “I think it was when I went to the Nations Cup two summers ago that I realized that I had the talent for it.”

Farella’s rise up the national rugby ranks will continue this coming January when she’ll be moving to British Columbia to continue training with the Canada Sevens team. The country’s top 20 players convene for “centralization” where they will be able to train full-time in good conditions.

For now, Farella’s sights are set on the Stingers next — and most important — game of the season, which will go down on Saturday afternoon in Quebec City. The Stingers will take on the only team that was able to beat them during the regular season, the Laval Rouge et Or, with the Réseau de Sport Étudiant du Québec championship on the line.

“Our goal at the beginning of the season was to make the finals,” said Farella. “We knew Laval would be our biggest opponent, and we lost to them during the regular season (27-20).”

“We just need to focus, especially at practice. Sometimes not everyone’s in it, not everyone’s head is at practice. We need everything we have to beat them. They’re stronger and a little smarter. We just have to stay on.”

It’s clear she has appreciated by her teammates and coaches, as head coach Graeme McGravie sang the praises of his first-year centre after the team’s 12-3 semi-final win against McGill Friday night.

“She works so hard at training, and she works on the little things. Good athletes do that,” said McGravie. “There’s a lot of room for her to improve still, but the good thing about it is that she’s very humble and she knows that and she’s prepared to put the time in to work on that.”

Farella has set the bar high for herself going forward; she is gunning for a spot on Canada’s roster for the upcoming 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, as well as the team Canada will be sending to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Suffice to say, if Farella continues to make an impact on every team she lines up for, her name will appear on both those rosters.

But for now, bring on Laval.

 

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