Smith strikes twice, clicks on penalty kick as McGill topples No.8-Laval
MONTREAL -- Midfielder Anna Smith of Somerville, Mass., scored twice, including the game-winner on a penalty-kick as McGill came away with a big 3-2 win over No. 8-ranked Laval in Quebec university women's soccer action at Molson stadium, Friday.
"We had our best first half of the season," said a beaming Marc Mounicot, head coach of the Martlets. "The girls played with a lot of determination and followed the game plan perfectly for the entire 45 minutes. Laval has a strong side with a lot of talent and a very strong organized style of play on the field. Getting three goals against them, especially in the first half, is a huge confidence boost for us."
Smith, an 18-year-old history sophomore, put the Martlets on the scoreboard in the sixth minute of play after converting a pass from freshman Alexandra Armstrong of London, Ont.
Laval netted the equalizer eight minutes later when Catherine Emond, a sophomore defender from Quebec City, fired a shot past McGill 'keeper Anne-Catherine Huot, also from the provincial capital.
It only too five minutes for McGill to regain the lead. Sniper Alexandra Morin-Boucher, a 5-foot-6 sophomore from St. Gabriel de Brandon, Que., tallied her league-leading eighth marker after taking a pass from rookie midfielder Julia Bahen of Vancouver, B.C.
In the final minute of the opening half, Smith was awarded a penalty kick and fired the ball past Laval netminder Noemi Duguay to give the Martlets a secure 3-1 lead heading into the intermission.
Laval chipped away in the second half and finally narrowed the score to 3-2 with 11 minutes remaining on the clock, on a marker by Virginie Jacques, a senior striker from Quebec City, who also merited a helper on the first Rouge et Or goal.
The second half was a see-saw battle and Laval's second goal came after what appeared to be a missed Laval foul on the McGill goalkeeper, who was shaken up and had to be replaced by sophomore Shimone Slomowitz, another Vancouver native, for the final 11 minutes.
"Our backline was strong and our defensive midfielders showed up for the full 90 minutes," said Mounicot. "Our build-up phases were also strong and we have to work on maintaining consistency during the entire game. We will have to work on our set plays for the rematch at Laval."
The victory improved McGill's record to 5-2-0 and three points ahead of fourth-place Laval (4-2-0) in the eight-team Quebec conference. The bitter rivals have a return engagement in Quebec City, near the Plains of Abraham, on Sunday.
SCORING SUMMARY
McGill 3, Laval 2
(@ Molson Stadium, Sept. 4/09)
FIRST HALF:
1. McGILL: Anna Smith (Alexandra Armstrong), 6:00
2. LAVAL: Catherine Emond (Virginie Jacques), 14:00
3. McGILL: Alexandra Morin-Boucher (Julia Bahen), 19:00
4. McGILL: Anna Smith 44 (penalty kick), 44:00
SECOND HALF:
5. LAVAL: Virginie Jacques (unassisted), 79:00
GOALKEEPERS:
LAVAL:
Noemi Duguay (start, L, 90:00, 3GA, 4 saves)
McGILL:
Anne-Catherine Huot (start, W, 79:00, 2GA, 2 saves)
Shimone Slomowitz (ND, 11:00, 0GA, 1 save)
SHOTS (made attempted):
Laval: 5/6
McGill 10/15
CORNER KICKS:
Laval: 4
McGill: 2
FOULS:
Laval: 11
McGill: 16
CARDS:
Laval: 0
McGill: 1 yellow (Hannah Simmons, 69:00)
OFFSIDES:
By Laval: 0
By McGill: 2
CROSSES:
Laval: 1
McGill: 9
PLAYERS OF THE GAME:
Laval: Isabelle Pare
McGill: Alexandra Morin-Boucher
ATTENDANCE: 214
McGILL'S STARTING LINEUP
G: Anne-Catherine Huot (out at 79:00)
D: Claire Hooper (out at 59:00)
D: Elizabeth Williams (C)
D: *Carolyn Bell
D: Maggie Keating
M: Anna Smith (out at 65:00)
M: Laura Gibson
M: *Julia Bahen
M: *Alexandra Armstrong (out at 69:00)
M: Kathleen Wakeling (out at 76:00)
F: Alexandra Morin-Boucher
SUBSTITUTIONS:
D: *Lauren Kipp (in at 59:00)
M: *Hannah Simmons (in at 65:00)
F: *Laura Bland-Lasso (in at 69:00)
D: *Kristina Tzievrakis (in at 76:00)
G: Shimone Slomowitz (in at 79:00)
DID NOT PLAY:
D: *Juliana Just-Costa (injd)
D: Katherine Green (injd)
M: *Ginger Jefferies (injd)
M: *Joanna Sienko (injd)
F: Cristina Di Caprio (injd)
F: *Sophia Horricks
F: *Zohra Bendouah (dressed but DNP)
F: *Courtney Nelson (dressed but DNP)
*freshman
SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)