UBC women’s soccer missed out on a national championship repeat after a tough 2-1 loss against Laval Rouge et Or on Sunday, November 13.
Although UBC came back to tie it up early in the second half with a penalty goal from Aman Shergill, a lapse in defence gave the Rouge et Or the chance to push past the reigning U Sport champs with little time left in the game.
In the first half, UBC goalkeeper Marlee Maracle was called into action early when Laval striker Joelle Gosselin blasted a shot from just outside the ’Birds' box in the eighth minute. Punching it away, Maracle kept the Quebec side off the board.
The UBC keeper faced nine shots in the match, making seven saves overall. Comparatively, Laval keeper Marie-Joelle Vandal faced just three shots all match.
Ten minutes later, after an attacking onslaught from Laval, a corner kick got the better of UBC. With defender Melissa Roy stepping up to take the corner, a short set play provided Gosselin a free shot from the top of the 18-yard line. Finding the back of the net, the striker put UBC a goal down with just over 30 minutes to go in the first half.
In the second, Shergill got the T-Birds back on track in the 55th minute. Dribbling the ball deep in the Rouge et Or’s end, Shergill earned a penalty kick for UBC after being taken down by Vandal at the end line.
The ensuing penalty was driven into the bottom-left corner by Shergill, evening up the score line with just over 30 minutes to go.
Although the ’Birds showed more life in the second, a heartbreaking late goal by Laval dashed their hopes of a championship repeat.
In the 88th, UBC failed to clear the ball out of their half and it ended up at the feet of Laval’s Lea Chastenay-Joseph down the right flank. The fifth-year striker placed a beautiful, arching shot across the box and into the top left corner of the net, sending the Rouge et Or to the final whistle with a 2-1 win in hand.
With the conclusion of the match, UBC settled for second place in the U Sport national championships. Shergill was also awarded player of the game for the T-Birds.
The team also says a final goodbye to three fifth-year players — Madison Guy, Meagan Pasternak and Shayla Chorney.