By Kevin McCarville
Special To The Guardian
& Marcel Vander Wier
The Guardian
Goals from Chelsie Mcinnis, Maria Scichilone and Danae Iatrou powered the first-place UPEI Panthers to a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Mount Allison Mounties in Atlantic University Sport women’s soccer action Monday in Charlottetown.
The game, like the men’s tilt later in the day, marked the end of the regular season and was originally scheduled for Sunday but had to be moved due to the storm.
The Panthers (11-1-1) will now advance to the semifinal round of the AUS championship this weekend in Fredericton, N.B.
The Mounties finished the season at 1-8-4 and out of the playoffs.
McInnis, in her final home game, opened the scoring in the 18th minute using a near post run to finish a close in cross from Andrea Yr Gustavsdottir in a somewhat uninspiring half.
The Panthers were much better in the second half, putting the game away half with goals less than two minutes apart.
Scichilone ran onto a ball placed by behind the Mount Allison defenders by Meaghan Malcolm and calmly placed a shot high inside the far post in the 66th minute to register a goal in her third consecutive game.
She then set up Iatrou’s first AUS goal on a cross from the right side as Iatrou left footed the ball past a helpless Robin Bessemer in the Mounties’ net.
The Panthers were seldom in fear of conceding a goal, outshooting the Mounties 15-2, outchancing them 20-3 and having a 6-3 edge in corners.
The Panthers substituted freely during the game, using all 18 players.
Alex Shinnan got her first start at centre back and keeper Kirsten Visser saw her first game action as the Panthers recorded their 10th shutout of the season and a school record 11th victory.
“It’s a good tune-up for the playoffs,” said UPEI head coach Mike Redmond. “Several good practices and we should be ready for Saturday.”
Men Panthers
The UPEI Panthers men’s soccer team rode an early strike from Jared Murphy to a 1-0 win over the Mount Allison Mounties Monday night, clinching a second-place finish in the process.
The win saw UPEI top St. F.X. by a single point in the Atlantic University Sport standings and secured the club a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Rookie keeper Trevor White picked up the clean sheet, making three saves. He started his third game in place of starter Dave Feener, who remains sidelined with an ankle injury.
“We almost have the exact same team as last year, and we’ve completely turned it around,” the 18-year-old said after the game.
“It’s huge. For us to not even qualify for playoffs and now have a bye to the semifinals is unreal.”
UPEI finishes with a record of 7-2-4, 12 points better than last year’s record of 4-8-1.
Panthers’ head coach Lewis Page said second place is very meaningful with such tight competition at the top of the league.
“It’s great that we’ve got the spot. That’s a big plus being a rested team,” he said.
Page praised his players for “their focus and their commitment to getting the job done.”
It was a cold night for soccer. The game started at 7:45 p.m. and in the second half, the temperature had dropped to 2C.
Warm breath and steam poured off the players under the bright lights and crescent moon. Player substitutes huddled under blankets on the team benches.
Fans bundled up in the bleachers to watch the game, while others watched from their vehicles.
“It’s awful,” said the Victoria, B.C.-born White of the bitter cold. “I absolutely hate it to be quite honest. The ball gets slick, especially when it gets this cold and late at night. It’s not easy to catch. Your hands get cold and it gets messy. I’d rather be in 20-degree weather, probably in Victoria.
“I just want to help out the team, and I’d love a free trip to Victoria for nationals.”
In the seventh minute, Murphy dribbled the ball to the middle of the field, cut to the top of the crease and fired a ball just past Mount Allison keeper and Summerside-native Greg McGuire.
The goal stood up as the winner.
Page returned after missing five games due to a stint as assistant coach with the national women’s soccer team at the Pan American Games in Mexico.
Canada won the gold medal by beating Brazil 4-3 in penalty kicks.
“It was certainly a highlight,” said Page. “It was a great thrill to be there and to play Brazil in the finals and beat them on penalties.
“There’s not many people who get to say that.”
The Mounties are 2-8-3.
****
Atlantic University Sport women’s soccer championship in Fredericton, N.B. (seedings in brackets):
Friday
Quarter-Finals
Dalhousie (3rd) vs. UNB (6th), 12 p.m.
Cape Breton (4th) vs. St. F.X. (5th), 2:15 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinals
UPEI (1st) vs. lowest remaining seed, 12 p.m.
Saint Mary’s (2nd) vs. highest remaining seed, 2:15 p.m.
Sunday
Championship Game
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
The AUS champion will advance to the CIS championship, Nov. 10-13, at McGill University in Montreal.
*****
Atlantic University Sport men’s soccer championship in Sydney, N.S. (seedings in brackets):
Friday
Quarter-Finals
St. F.X (3rd) vs. Saint Mary’s (6th), 12 p.m.
Dalhousie (4th) vs. Moncton (5th), 3 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinals
Cape Breton (1st) vs. lowest remaining seed, 12 p.m.
UPEI (2nd) vs. highest remaining seed, 3 p.m.
Sunday
Championship Game
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.
The AUS champion advances to the CIS championship tournament, Nov. 10-13, at the University of Victoria.
