MONTREAL – The Halloween ghosts and gremlins showed up a week early for trick or treating at Percival Molson Stadium on Thursday as a simple twist of fate put a damper on Homecoming Week celebrations for the McGill women's soccer team.
 
A tricky, seeing-eye, own-goal found its way into the McGill net in the 27th minute of play as third-seeded Laval treated themselves to a 1-0 victory in a sudden-death RSEQ conference semifinal.
 
The play was initiated from a throw-in by Laval's Meredith St-Pierre to teammate Amelia Bouchard who was stationed around the 10-yard line, just to the right of the McGill goal area. Bouchard spun around off her mark and took a harmless left-footed chip shot towards the McGill net. That's when the gremlins took control as the spinning ball rolled on the ground and touched the feet of four different Martlets defenders before it finally crossed the goal line.
 
And to make matters worse, a minute later, there may have been a missed call on a hand ball inside the Laval 18-yard box that would have given league scoring leader Chloe Renaud a penalty kick. McGill striker Alexandra Hughes-Goyette had fired a rifle shot from the left corner of the box. It was deflected away by Laval goalkeeper Anne-Marie Laroche and the rebound appeared to strike the hand of Laval defender Florence Thibeault but play continued.
 
Laroche made five saves to earn the victory, while rookie Cheridan Johnson made five saves as a surprise starter for McGill. She was filling in for veteran keeper Sophie Guilmette, who was scratched for the third time in four games with a broken hand.
 
It was a difficult pill to swallow for the Martlets, a veteran squad that had finished second in the eight-team Quebec league with an 8-4-2 record and were hosting a home playoff game for the first time in 24 years. Then again, it was a case of history repeating itself as during that season in 2010, Laval finished third as well and upset McGill 2-1 in the semifinal.
 
This marked the last game for five McGill seniors expected to graduate. The group included Alexandra Hughes-Goyette (master's degree in biochemistry), Sophie Guilmette (master's degree in kinesiology and physical education), Audrey Moyen (PhD in human nutrition), Stephanie Hill (master's degree in physical therapy), and team captain Mara Bouchard (Arts degree in psychology).
 
SCORING SUMMARY
 
RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS
 
SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
CELL: 514-983-7012
E-MAIL:earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca