QUEBEC CITY – Striker Daphnee Blouin scored what proved to be the game winning goal in the 18th minute of play and Myram Labrecque registered a four-save shutout as the Laval Rouge et Or blanked McGill 3-0 in an RSEQ women's soccer semifinal, Friday.

The resulted ended the season for McGill and catapulted second-seeded Laval into the league championship game on Nov. 12. The Rouge et Or will confront the undefeated Montreal Carabins, which easily disposed of fourth-place UQAM 4-0 in the other semifinal.

McGill had a chance to tie the score in the 36th minute when midfielder Katherine Chadwick fired a high arcing left-footed shot from the top of the box towards the top left corner but Labrecque, who stands 5-foot-11, leaped and just managed to deflect the ball over the crossbar.  So the Rouge et Or took their 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.

"We had been playing quite well lately, showed up with lots of confidence and you could see it in our play over the first half," said Jose-Luis Valdes, in his ninth year as head coach of the Martlets. "Our speed, quality, movement and energy was quite good and I thought that it was our best half of the season. But we made a technical mistake on their first goal and then their 'keeper made a big save... And in the second half, we weren't able to put our chances away and they did."

Late in the game, McGill began taking chances as the clock was winding down and Laval capitalized with two goals in the final five minutes. Virginie Deschenes notched an insurance marker in the 85th minute and Laurie Roy came off the bench to round out the scoring in the dying seconds.

Laval had a 5-4 edge in shots on net as McGill 'keeper Brenna Bordeniuk credited with two saves and took the loss.

There were no cards issues by the officials.

This was the final game for as many as seven graduating McGill forwards. Fifth-year veterans who have exhausted their university eligibility include Victoria Sturgess and Noemie Briollais, along with fourth-year striker Ruqayya Hirji. Also graduating is Ariane Ducharme, a 2019 all-star who sat out the entire season with an injury. Other seniors who could be moving on but are expected to return next year are Giovanna Tiberio, Alexia Remillard and Thalia Krauth-Ibarz.

GAME STATS

RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS


SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Off.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca