Rivkin rules as Martlets blank UQAM
Midfielder Hannah Rivkin of St. John's, Nfld., tallied twice, including the game-winner as the No.6-ranked McGill University women's soccer team officially opened their 61st regular season with a 3-0 whitewash over the Université du Québec à Montréal before a crowd of 452 at Percival Molson Stadium, Thursday.
The result extended the Martlets undefeated streak to 6-0-2, including preseason play.
A game that should never have been in doubt had fans on edge with a 0-0 score at halftime but the Martlets exploded for three markers in the final stanza.
"We had a very average first half and were not able to create any real scoring chances," said Marc Mounicot, head coach of the Martlets. "We had control of the ball but we were not effective at forcing them out of position. UQAM played with a lot of heart, putting 10 players behind the ball in their defensive end. When a team plays that way, you need to speed up the play and get shots from outside of the box."
Rivkin, a third-year marketing major, broke the ice in the 61st minute of play, then made it 2-0 some 20 minutes later. The Martlets put the game out of reach in the 85th minute when freshman Daphnée Morency, a highly-touted recruit from Boulder, Colorado, netted her first career marker in CIS play.
"Our second half was more successful in terms of managing a variety of plays," added Mounicot, in his 14th year behind the McGill bench. "We made some substitutions which produced a more technical line-up and our three goals were well deserved but I give full credit to UQAM's organized style of play and their 'keeper made some big saves."
Constance Laroche-Lefebvre, the UQAM goalie from Longueuil, Que., turned aside seven of 10 shots but was saddled with the loss.
Goalkeeper Victoria Muccilli, a 5-foot-9 junior from Mississauga, Ont., had an easy night between the pipes and posted the shutout without being called upon once to make a save.
The Martlets, who improve to 1-0 in the RSEQ soccer conference, will travel to Quebec City to play Laval on Sunday at 3 p.m.
That game will be a real test for the Martlets as half of the Laval side played with much success in the high-profile W-league this past summer. and the other half of their squad won the club provincial championship last weekend and qualified for club Nationals.
"We will be ready for that game but will have to show character and determination to get a good result," said Mounicot, who's troops should have more jump with two days of rest as Laval opens their season at Sherbrooke the day before.
UQAM (0-1) will host Sherbrooke on Sunday afternoon.
