Myer’s hat trick ended RRC’s season
By Jake Maurice
The Rebels women’s soccer team lost 3-0 to the Providence University College Pilots, as a Makayla Myer hat trick eliminated them in the MCAC semi-final — ending their season.
This marks the second season in a row the Rebels suffered a semi-final loss.
The Rebels entered the MCAC playoffs as the second seed, but because the playoffs were held at PUC, the Pilots had the home field advantage.
The game turned against the Rebels early in the second half when Pilots’ striker Myer scored on a breakaway and a set play in first ten minutes of the second half, putting the Rebels in a deep hole.
The Rebels limited Myerto one goal in the team’s two matches with the Pilots earlier in the season, a win and a loss — primarily due to strong defensive work.
Rebels defender, Ashley Paterson was unable to play in the match after suffering an injury during the team’s final regular season game of the year.
Without Paterson to match up against Myer, Myer was able to find the space to run and make plays she couldn’t in the earlier games this season.
As far as head coach Doug Lawrie is concerned, Myer’s new freedom was the main reason the Rebels fell short of the finals.
“In the first game we played [the Pilots], she had no shots on net at all,” said Lawrie. “You lose that player that’s capable of shutting down anybody in the league, it’s going to have an effect on our game plan, our lineup, everything was adjusted.”
Shea Bresciani led the Rebels late offensive push, but solid goalkeeping and a lack of finish kept the Rebels off the scoresheet.
Bresciani was named player of the game for the Rebels; Myer won the honour for the Pilots.
The Rebels will have to wait until next year for another shot at the championship, but a number of key players will have left Red River, including team captain Brianne Jamieson.
The PUC Pilots went on to lose their finals match to the undefeated Universite de Saint-Boniface 2-0.
