Panthers eliminate defending champs, advance to finals
November 5, 2011
It took until the 11th minute of the first half of overtime, but the UPEI Panthers were able to break the scoreless tie en route to a 1-0 win over the Cape Breton Capers in the first semi-final of the Subway AUS women’s soccer championships hosted by UNB.
Sara Stewart would score off Andrea Archibald’s corner kick, heading the ball into the back of the CBU goal.
“Sara Stewart is one of our better headers of the ball so it doesn’t surprise me that she went up and won the game with her head,” said UPEI head coach Mike Redmond. “It was a fantastic goal.”
Winning the game came as a relief for the Panthers who played a tough first half against the wind, something that Redmond pleased to see, knowing his players could have easily been discouraged.
“It was definitely one of those games where the wind played a big factor and we couldn’t get it out of our end in the first half and they couldn’t get it out of theirs in the second half,” he said. “We knew it was going to be like that so I was very pleased with how the girls stuck and stayed to the task, eventually getting rewarded.”
The Panthers have advanced to Sunday’s AUS women’s soccer championship final at 2:00 p.m. against the winner of the Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie game this afternoon. Redmond will just calm his players before tomorrows match.
“We’re just calm them down and refocus,” he said. “Saint Mary’s and Dal are fantastic teams so there is really no difference at this time of the year. You’re in an AUS final, enjoy the occasion, enjoy the moment and live in the moment.”
Sara Stewart would score off Andrea Archibald’s corner kick, heading the ball into the back of the CBU goal.
“Sara Stewart is one of our better headers of the ball so it doesn’t surprise me that she went up and won the game with her head,” said UPEI head coach Mike Redmond. “It was a fantastic goal.”
Winning the game came as a relief for the Panthers who played a tough first half against the wind, something that Redmond pleased to see, knowing his players could have easily been discouraged.
“It was definitely one of those games where the wind played a big factor and we couldn’t get it out of our end in the first half and they couldn’t get it out of theirs in the second half,” he said. “We knew it was going to be like that so I was very pleased with how the girls stuck and stayed to the task, eventually getting rewarded.”
The Panthers have advanced to Sunday’s AUS women’s soccer championship final at 2:00 p.m. against the winner of the Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie game this afternoon. Redmond will just calm his players before tomorrows match.
“We’re just calm them down and refocus,” he said. “Saint Mary’s and Dal are fantastic teams so there is really no difference at this time of the year. You’re in an AUS final, enjoy the occasion, enjoy the moment and live in the moment.”