News

INDOOR SOCCER: Martlets advance to final, Redmen season ends on penalty-kicks

Published: 21 March 2011

MONTREAL -- The McGill women's soccer team outlasted Sherbrooke 3-2 on penalty-kicks en route to a 2-1 victory in a Quebec indoor league sudden-death semifinal at the Marie-Victorin Soccer Centre, Sunday.

In men's semifnal action, UQTR edged the Redmen 3-2, also on penalty-kicks. The Redmen had rallied to tie the game 2-2 on goals by Yohann Capolungo and Stephen Keefe.

The Martlets advance to next week's conference against the Montreal Carabins in Trois-Rivieres,

"The game went back and forth in the last 10 minutes but our backline played with a lot of composure and was able to win more battles," said Marc Mounicot, head coach of the Martlets.

A header off a set play by Hannah Simmons gave the Martlets a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute of play but Sherbrooke forced extra time after scoring the equalizer in the 75th minute, when Belhumeur tallied on a similar play.

"We dominated the game in possession but Sherbrooke was dangerous with their counter attacks'" said Mounicot. "The Vert et Or played physical and stayed well organized for 90 minutes. We had chances to put the away game in regulation time but they never gave up, kept coming back and defended well. We knew that it could finish on PKs, so we made personnel changes in the last 10 minutes to ensure that tour shooters were ready for the challenge."

In the penalty shots, Julia Bahen, Kelsey Wilson and Sabrina Colarossi each scored on Coulombe, the Sherbrooke keeper. McGill netminder Victoria Muccilli was beaten by the first two shooters (Turcotte and Vandenberghe) but came up with a big save on the final shot, taken by Gagne, the Vert & Or captain.

"It was a important win for us, a step forward in the right direction," added Mounicot, who has guided McGill to an 8-0-1 record in indoor play and will meet the Carabins, which defated Laval 4-1 in the other semi, in next week's league championship game at Trois-Rivieres (March 27, 1:30 p.m.)."We have a week to prepare for the final and this young team is hungry for a provincial banner."

McGill tied the Carabins 2-2 in their only indoor meeting, on Jan. 16, with goals from Morin-Boucher and Bourque.

Marie Victorin Soccer Centre

McGill 2- Sherbrooke 1

Goals: Simmons 25 for McGill, Belhumeur 75 for Sherbrooke

Penalty shots: Bahen, Wilson, and Colarossi for McGill

Vandenbergue, Turcotte for Sherbrooke, Gagne miss

Shots

McGill 12- 7 on

Sherbrooke 8, 4 on

Corners

McGill 3

Sherbrooke 3