They are the champions … again

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This article was published 17/11/2021 (1655 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Université de Saint-Boniface Les Rouges women’s soccer team has won the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference championship, repeating its feat as champions.

Les Rouges, the conference’s top-seeded team, retained its title by beating the second-seeded Brandon University Bobcats 2-0 at HLC Field in Brandon on Oct. 31. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, the season wasn’t completed.

According to a news release, the St. Boniface-based team took advantage of a strong wind on what’s described as a cold and blustery day, scoring twice with the wind at its back in the first half and then containing its opponents in the second.

“It still kind of feels like a dream,” the team’s head coach Justin Légaré told The Lance recently. “It wasn’t an easy season, to say the least, so it’s a really unbelievable feeling. I feel we’ve earned this right, and I feel like the team would’ve done the same thing last year had COVID-19 not hit.”

Légaré, who also won 2021 women’s soccer coach of the year honours for his contribution, said the team had an uncertain start to the season, but the combination of established core players and new recruits worked hard and kept improving and deserved their title.

And while defenders don’t always grab the headlines in soccer, Légaré is grateful for the efforts of his back four, which has become the bedrock of the side.

“I like to build a team from the back, and our defenders have had a really solid and consistent season,” he said.

At the other end of the pitch, USB’s fourth-year winger Mylène Chabot scored both goals in the championship game, almost following the script, as the veteran forward was also named the season’s most valuable player.

And with the championship under their belts — the second title in the program’s history — Les Rouges qualified to advance to the 2021 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s women’s soccer national championship, which took place at Humber College in Toronto from Nov. 10 to 13.  

At the tournament, the team was eliminated after losing 3-0 to Dynamiques de Sainte-Foy and 2-0 to SAIT Trojans.

Go online at mcacathletics.ca for more information.