Cascades defeat University of Montreal Carabins, 3-2, on penalty kicks
by David Kent (Contributer)
Email: cascade.sports@ufv.ca
The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades defeated the University of Montreal Carabins, 3-2, on penalty kicks to capture the 2010 CIS Bronze Medal. The Cascades won the Canada West title last weekend in Edmonton, Alberta, and last weekend they captured the schools’ first ever national medal, in Charlottetown, PEI. They battled hard against the Quebec Champion Carabins, and in the end, they won the match on the strength of the team’s ability to shoot penalty shots after the first 90 minutes ended in a tie. The CIS does not play overtime in Bronze Medal games; it goes straight to penalty shots instead of overtime first.
Playing the match without starting goalkeeper Chantelle Biagioni, of Pitt Meadows, and captain Megan Webster, of Abbotsford, both due to injuries, the Cascades rallied around goalkeeper Charmaine Biagioni, also from Pitt Meadows, and went to work battling the Quebec Champions for 90 solid minutes. The match was close, and after Montreal scored the first goal late in the first half, UFV went to work pressuring the Carabin defense and had numerous excellent opportunities to tie the match. The Carabin led 1-0 at the half.
UFV came out strong in the second half, and rookie Carly Neesion, from Maple Ridge, tied the match for the Cascades early. Danika Snnok, from Chilliwack, would give UFV the lead ten minutes after Neeson’s goal, and the Cascades defense would make it stand until Montreal tied the match with only ten minutes remaining.
With no overtime, the match went straight to penalty shots, and just like last week’s Canada West semi-final shoot out with TWU, the penalty shots lasted 7 rounds until fourth year veteran midfielder Marie Verbenkov, from Langley, scored the fifth penalty shot for UFV and after a miss by Montreal, the Cascades were national bronze medalists!
“Once again I walk off the field extremely proud of my team. We battled hard and took a quality opponent to penalties,” said UFV Head Coach Rob Giesbrecht. “The girls stepped up and took their penalties with confidence, and Charmaine did so well for her first taste of CIS soccer.”
“Giving up the goal late in the first half was disappointing because we have been so efficient at defending set pieces. Carly Neeson was excellent this week and it was so fitting for her to level the score at 1-1. Danika was injured early in the tournament but she was back to her usual stuff and she scored the goal to put us up 2-1.” Neeson was named “”Player of the Match” for all three Cascade games.
“The CIS bronze is a great accomplishment for our team. We can all hold our heads high knowing that we gave it everything we had all year long. It’s a fantastic way for our fifth year players to finish their university careers, and it was special that all 3 were on the field at the end of the match.” Fifth year veterans include Lyndsay Munro, from Maple Ridge, Roxanne Snook, from Chilliwack, and Selina Miller, from Abbotsford.
