CORNWALL — The Élans du François-Xavier Garneau showed why they are the top-ranked team at the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association women’s soccer championship.
After a close opening 30 minutes, the Quebec City college exploded for three goals in six minutes and took a commanding 4-0 lead to the half. They added three more goals in the second for a 7-0 victory over the host Holland College Hurricanes.
“They were nervous,” Élans assistant coach Guillaume Couillard said of his team’s start. “They took a few minutes to install our play. After that it’s going very well for us, so we are happy.”
Melissa Roy and Laurie Couture-Dallaire each scored a pair of goals in the victory on a frigid November night in front of an estimated 150 fans at the Terry Fox Sports Complex. Singles went to Stephanie Fortin, Arielle Roy-Petitclerc and Joelle Gosselin.
Roy, a second-year forward, said the big lead allowed the Élans to get bench players into the contest, which can be a critical factor if there are injuries later in the tournament.
“I think everyone has to be ready to go on the field and play a game,” said the 19-old-old from Lévis, Que., who was named her team’s player of the game. “I think the whole team played very well.”
The two-time defending champions will play the Concordia Thunder today at 5:30 p.m. with a spot in Saturday’s gold-medal game on the line. The key will be turning the page from the lopsided victory.
“We don’t think about the last game and just focus on the next one,” Roy said.
The Hurricanes will have to quickly regroup, as they play at 12:30 p.m. with a shot at a bronze medal still in their reach.
“We can’t dwell on this game,” said keeper Amanda Wheatley. “(We) know we can still make a difference for the school.
“There’s still a bronze medal to be won and (we) hope that we can wear the medals around our necks at the end of the tournament.”
The Hurricanes had a number of opportunities but couldn’t capitalize on their chances and only managed one shot on goal.
Wheatley, who faced 20 shots in the contest, said they started strong in the first half, but a few lapses cost them and they could not respond.
“Those guys are a good team and we can’t take that away from them, but so are we,” she said. “We just need to play 90 minutes and we didn’t do that tonight.”
Indiennes d’Ahuntsic 4,
TRU Wolfpack 0
Stephie-Ann Dadaille scored the winner 31 minutes into the game and the Montreal college added three insurance goals in the second half.
Jacynthe Tressier scored in the 74th and 83rd minutes while Gabrielle Charbonneau-Laplante added a marker in the 77th minute.
Josée-Anne Nantel-Legault stopped all 10 shots for the shutout.
NAIT 3, Mount Saint Vincent 0
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology scored three second-half goals to advance to today’s semifinals. Leanne Kadatz scored twice (48th and 83rd minutes) and Delaney McNaughton added a single in the 68th minute.
Charlotte Lendzion stopped seven shots for the shutout.
Concordia Thunder 3,
Humber Hawks 1
Humber College’s lead was short lived.
Brittany Szcerbakow opened the scoring for the Etobicoke, Ont., college in the 20th minute. Lindsay Butler replied a minute later for the Edmonton-based Concordia squad.
Erica Vecchio scored the winner in the 39th minute and Butler added the only goal of the second half in the 57th minute to complete the scoring.
Today’s Games
10 a.m., TRU Wolfpack vs. Mount Saint Vincent
12:30 p.m., Humber College vs. Holland College
3 p.m., Indiennes d’Ahuntsic vs. NAIT Ooks
5:30 p.m., Concordia Thunder vs. François-Xavier Garneau
(More at www.ccaa.ca)
