TORONTO - The Universite de Montreal Carabins held on for a 1-0 win over the UBC Thunderbirds in the second semi-final at the 2009 CIS women's soccer championship in Toronto.
The loss sends the T-Birds through to Sunday's bronze medal game against Queen's with kick-off scheduled for 2:00 p.m. at Varsity Stadium.
The Carabins jumped out to an early lead and did just enough to hold off the T-Birds who out shot Montreal 12-3 and earned five corners to just two for the Carabins. Eva Thouvenot-Hubert's goal in the 13th minute, however, was enough for the no. 1 ranked team in the CIS to advance to tomorrow's final against Trinity Western.
Thouvenot-Hebert was sent in a alone with a ball over the top from Catherine Delmas-Frenette. Montreal relied almost exclusively on long balls over the top to generate any pressure and Thoutvenot-Herbet did well to chip the bouncing ball over a charging Dunnett from the edge of the penalty area.
For the final 77 minutes plus injury time it was all UBC and they had a pair of chances stopped on the line by Montreal defenders.
"Sometimes you just aren't meant to get the win," said UBC head coach Dick Mosher. "We did everything but put the ball in the net. That's what happens when you let a team get ahead - you have to chase. Tonight we couldn't get the equalizer even though we had the chances."
UBC's best chance to tie came just a minute after Montreal took the early lead. The T-Birds won a corner off the ensuing kick-off and Sawer's delivery fell to
Chelsea Stang whose effort from in close was stopped by Montreal keeper Sarah Therien.
Caitlin Davie's rebound effort was well struck and looked destined to tie the game but it was blocked on the line by a Carabin defender.
The T-Birds other golden chance came with just 10 minutes left when
Rachael Sawer was meres inches from drawing UBC level. After a free kick clearance was played back into the Montreal box by
Janine Frazao, Sawer headed the ball over Therien towards the net but All-Canadian full back Emilie Mercier made a lunging save to keep the Carbins ahead.
Therien made five stops for the win while Montreal directed just one shot on goal which proved to be the winner.
Tomorrow the T-Birds hope to keep alive their CIS medal streak as in their previous 10 trips to the nationals they have brought home a podium finish. They meet a Queen's squad that looks to bounce back from a crushing defeat to TWU who pulled even with the Golden Gaels in the 88th minute in today's first semi-final before winning 5-3 on penalty kicks.
-30-
