MONTREAL -- Freshman defender
Ariel Carignan scored the game-winner in the 62nd minute and
Annabelle Matysiak merited a shutout as the McGill University women's soccer team stunned the heavily-favoured Montreal Carabins 1-0 at Stade CEPSUM, Sunday.
It was their first win against the Carabins in seven years -- dating back to a 2-1 victory on Sept. 20, 2012 -- and halted a six-game losing streak to UdeM since a 0-0 draw on Sept. 15, 2017. The second-place Carabins dropped to 8-2-1 and now sit six points behind division-leading UQAM (10-0-1) with three games remaining before playoffs. McGill, which improved their fourth-place record to 6-4-1. sits five points ahead of Bishop's (4-6-2). The Martlets magic number to clinch a playoff berth is one point.
"We've gotten closer against Montreal these last few years," said
Jose-Luis Valdes, in his seventh season as head coach of the Martlets. "We've gone to overtime and lost in penalty shots. So it feels pretty good to get the win."
Carignan's tally was her first career marker in league play. The 5-foot-7 centre-back from Sherbrooke, Que., has been a mainstay in Valdes' squad, appearing in all 11 games in her first season. The 21-year-old arts major curled a dangerous free-kick into the box from the right flank which her teammates failed to connect with. Her strike, however, anchored UdeM 'keeper
Érika Bastien to the spot -- as she was anticipating a deflection -- and it found the back corner of the net.
"We had a couple scoring chances in the first half and were able to manage what Montreal was trying to do in our zone. We were confident going into halftime at 0-0," Valdes said. "In the second half, we maintained (our structure) and moved the ball well. In the last 10 minutes, Montreal stepped it up and started getting some balls into the box but our group kept working and believing."
Matysiak, a 5-foot-6 sophomore 'keeper from Vancouver, B.C., made three saves to earn her third shutout of the season, including a shared one in the season opener. At the other end of the pitch, Bastien made one save and took the loss for Montreal.
The teams combined for 20 fouls, with Montreal being whistled for 11. McGill's
Ariane Ducharme received the only caution of the match.
UdeM had a 12-4 edge in shots toward the goal but only a 2-1 margin on net. The Carabins did have a a 6-0 territorial advantage in corner kicks.
The Martlets travel to Trois-Rivieres on Oct. 11 to confront seventh-place UQTR (1-7-2) at Stade Gilles-Doucet, then close out the schedule with a road game at Sherbrooke (Oct. 18) and a home game against Laval (Oct. 20).
The Carabins (8-2-1) look to bounce back against UQAM (10-0-1) at the same time at Stade CEPSUM.
BOXSCORE
2019 RSEQ WOMEN'S UNIVERSITY SOCCER STANDINGS
| 1 |
UQAM |
11 |
10 |
0 |
1 |
28 |
4 |
31 |
| 2 |
Montréal |
11 |
8 |
2 |
1 |
31 |
4 |
25 |
| 3 |
Laval |
12 |
8 |
3 |
1 |
34 |
10 |
25 |
| 4 |
McGill |
11 |
6 |
4 |
1 |
22 |
13 |
19 |
| 5 |
Bishop's |
12 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
15 |
24 |
14 |
| 6 |
Concordia |
11 |
1 |
7 |
3 |
10 |
35 |
6 |
| 7 |
UQTR |
10 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
8 |
22 |
5 |
| 8 |
Sherbrooke |
10 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
9 |
45 |
1 |
