Coming off an impressive pre-season (6-1-1), the McGill Martlets’ 5-1 victory Friday over the Sherbrooke Vert et Or showed nothing but promise.

The first goal of the match came from veteran striker Alexandra Morin-Boucher in the 10th minute of play. Assisted by a long drive from freshman forward Stephanie Avery, she shot a low strike across to the left corner of the net. Ten minutes later, she struck again with a pass from rookie midfielder Hannah Rivkin.

In the 23rd minute, Sherbrooke was awarded a penalty kick on a disputed shirt-pulling call. Vert et Or veteran striker Adréanne Gagne, put the ball just out of the rookie goalkeeper Valerie Labbé’s reach, putting the score to 2-1.

McGill controlled Sherbrooke for much of the first half, but after some halftime lineup alterations the Vert et Or’s defensive line solidified. The improvements, however, were not enough to stop Morin-Boucher from completing her hat trick in the 58th minute.

The Martlets’s goal streak continued as rookie midfielder Meghan Bourque buried a shot behind Sherbrooke keeper Marie-Michelle Coulombe.

In the final minute of the second half prior to injury time, rookie striker Bianca Cordileone scored the Martlets’s fifth goal after her substitution for Morin-Boucher. Seven freshman players got playing time, and they showed plenty of potential.

“I know what to expect from them,” said Head Coach Marc Mounicot, “I know their qualities, they were recruited because of those qualities. I think they did pretty well … and I’m quite positive about the future.”

Although the game was controlled by the Martlets’ offence, the win would not have been possible without the impermeable defence line. Led by team captain and star Katherine Green, there was not much the Vert et Or could do to break through.

The dauntless and quick-thinking freshman keeper Labbé ended the game with four phenomenal saves, only faltering on the penalty kick in the first half. Despite her lack of experience, Labbé should be a valuable pillar for the team.

Green, who has been enduring a recurring knee injury, was carried off the field after a collision in McGill’s penalty box. The plan is for Green to rest for the remainder of the weekend to recover.

“We are going to have to have some of the younger girls step up and command the play from the back,” said Green. “As well [as] the new keeper, Val. [She] is a great keeper, [and] is going to have to lead the team and see the field and see the play.”

The Martlets concluded their 2009 season as the second overall team in the QSSF, narrowly beating out the third-place Vert et Or by one point. This season, with the addition of 12 new recruits and the return of seasoned veterans, the Martlets will set out to outdo the Vert et Or for the top spot in the Quebec league.

The McGill Redmen introduced their fans to the new-look Molson Stadium in style with a comfortable 4-0 win over the Sherbrooke Vert et Or Friday night. The Redmen produced a solid, if unspectacular, display to overcome a nervous opening and earn the win, taking three points.

Both sides struggled to get into a passing rhythm in the first half, but the Redmen were better able to capitalize on their opportunities. Goals in the 19th and 30th minute—both assisted by man of the match, Yohann Capolungo—effectively ended the contest. Sherbrooke showed little ambition or ability to compete with the Redmen as the game went forward. McGill, meanwhile, looked increasingly comfortable, and barring one or two lapses in concentration sent the fans home happy. They polished off the night with two insurance goals in the 83rd and 89th minutes.

The early exchanges of the match were full of tackling, as both teams struggled to gain a foothold in the midfield. Sherbrooke may have just shaded for the opening 15 minutes, but they were almost completely reliant on the hopeful long ball. McGill, on the other hand, looked to build with short, quick passing.

The Redmen started to look like the better team in the 19th minute. Seizing a loose ball just outside of the area, Yohann Capolungo unleashed a fierce 20-yard drive. Sherbrooke keeper Benjamin Marquis could only parry it straight to the onrushing Cory Marcon, who coolly punched in the chance.

Although down 1-0, Sherbrooke almost scored an equalizer minutes later. McGill keeper Jean-Lou Gosselin, a spectator to that point, flapped at a cross and was relieved to see the ball fly off of the crossbar.

A flurry of activity starting in the 26th minute ended with McGill doubling their lead. Capolungo hit the bar with another long-range effort after a well played corner. A few minutes later, a lapse in defensive concentration gave Sherbrooke another opportunity to score. A hopeful poke forward from the Sherbrooke midfield found its way too easily through the McGill backline, leading to a partial break. The Vert et Or, however, could only muster a weak shot that Gosselin easily captured.

Stung out of complacency, McGill struck two minutes later with the match’s best move. The imposing Jeremy Hurdle won the ball at midfield and wasted no time in playing it into Capolungo’s path behind the Sherbrooke defense. Capolungo outpaced the fullback before drilling the ball across the goal for freshman striker Sebastian Munro, who tapped it in.

McGill ended the first half on a high note, and continued to perform in the second. Facing an opponent content to sit in their own half and hoist long balls forward, McGill was never threatened. The backline, which was excellent throughout, easily dealt with Sherbrooke’s barrage of high balls, its only form of attack. The last two goals, both involving the impressive William Hoyle, were icing on the cake.

Even though the match was routine, the Redmen will need to be in better shape for their upcoming matches, including one with No.1-ranked Laval next week.

“I’m happy with the result,” said Head Coach David Simon. “[but]I wouldn’t say I’m happy with the performance. This team has a lot of potential and can do far better than they did, mostly in terms of being consistent. Against Laval, if we’re not consistent for 90 minutes, we’re going to have problems.”

Match star Yohann Capolungo echoed his sentiments.

“It was not the best game, the way of playing, but it’s going to get better and better. It’s a good start.”

This Friday’s home game against Concordia (2-1) is McGill Athletics’ Fill the Stadium 2010 event. The game starts at 7 p.m., and will have a pre-game party starting at 5 p.m. with $2 food and drinks, a barbecue, and live music.

This will the third annual Fill the Stadium, and the first after Molson Stadium’s renovations. The event began in 2008 after the success of the Corey Cup, a McGill-Concordia varsity men’s hockey game at the Bell Centre. In previous years, the event has drawn record crowds. This year, the promoters are looking to draw 6,000 people, and have relied on fundraising efforts with campus clubs to bolster the ranks.

Adam Scotti

In their first game in the newly-renovated Molson Stadium, the Redmen football team suffered a 26-19 loss in double overtime to the fifth-ranked Bishop’s Gaiters on Saturday, bringing their regular season record to 0-2.

Gaiters’ quarterback Jesse Andrews connected with freshman running back Quincy Van De Cruize on a 10-yard pass in the second round of overtime after both McGill’s Austin Anderson and Bishop’s Josh Maveety converted on field goal attempts. Anderson’s 48-yard kick earned him a new career record.

McGill failed to even the score when QB Ryne Bondy, who went 21 for 41, was taken down as he threw his third attempt, with the ball going out of bounds and ending the game in Bishops’ favour. The game was Bondy’s second for the Redmen, after a knee injury last week put starting quarterback Jonathan Collin out for the season.

“We knew that having a new quarterback would present some interesting prospects and Bondy played up to expectations and above, so that’s something very positive going forward,” said Head Coach Sonny Wolfe, “Ryne played real well. Certainly the first time you’re in a game in over a year there are some issues that he may have been able to make a better decision once or twice and not give up a sack but you would probably say that sometimes about a third or fourth year starter. It was a terrific performance by Ryne.”

The team announced the full extent of Collin’s injury last Wednesday. An MRI showed two torn ligaments in his left knee and a stretched nerve in his left foot. He will have surgery in the upcoming weeks, and hopes to return next season.

After a scoreless first quarter, freshman running back Sean Murphy put McGill on the board with a 10-yard run into the end zone with three and a half minutes on the clock in the second. Murphy also led the team in rushing, racking up 44 yards.

With 23 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and Bishop’s leading 16-9, sophomore Thomas Fortin connected with Bondy’s eight-yard pass into the left corner of the end zone to bring the Redmen within one point of the Gaiters. Anderson’s kick pushed the game into the QUFL’s first overtime match since 2003, and the Gaiters’ first since 1998.

“Our biggest strength was that we were able to compete for 60 minutes. It’s been a while that we’ve been harping on that as a huge component to having a chance to be successful, and we feel we now have a team that does compete regardless of the competition and regardless of the circumstances,” said Wolfe, “But we played hard for 60 minutes and that gives us a chance to be successful.”

After becoming the first player in CIS history to reach 200 receptions last week, fifth-year Charles-Antoine Sinotte increased his tally to 214 with eight more catches on Saturday. However, freshman Justene Edwards was also a bright spot on the McGill roster, matching Sinotte’s 85 yards in reception in only five catches.

The Gaiters demonstrated the impressive range of their ground play, particularly midway through the third quarter when Matt Burke caught a 19-yard pass from Olivier Mongeau on a fake field goal, making the score 9-7 Bishop’s. The Gaiters ended the game with 193 yards rushing, compared to the Redmen’s 76. Maveety also provided the Gaiters with two field goals in the fourth quarter, while McGill earned their extra two points on a safety.

The Redmen will look to earn their first win of the season on Friday as they take on the Concordia Stingers (1-1) at Molson Stadium at 7 p.m. The game will double as both the Shaughnessy Cup and the Fill the Stadium event.

“Every week we try to play to our strengths a little bit, and a couple of things we may be able to exploit in terms of how they play offence and defence and special teams,” said Wolfe. “So we’ll try to change things around a little bit, not too dramatically. We ended up having some issues with substitutions, so there are a number of things we want to clean up and we are working really hard to ensure that happens.”