Women's Soccer

Concordia Thunder Women's Soccer Names Coaching Staff for 2012

May 15, 2012

Thunder Head Coach Dean Cordeiro has added two additional Assistant Coaches to his staff for the Autumn 2012 ACAC campaign. Joining Alesha Weicker (Assistant Coach), Jessica Cordeiro (Assistant Coach/Manager), and Megan Lumley (Goalie Coach) will be newcomers Rick Haxby and Federico Sanmartin.

Rick came to Canada in the mid-sixties from York, England to play professional soccer, playing in the NSL with the Montreal Concordia. Rick has experience playing and coaching soccer all over Canada having played with the Edmonton Eagles in the Western league and serving as a player and coach for the Ottawa Intrepid.
He has also played and coached for local all-star and select teams as part of a series of exhibition games with professional teams around the world. Rick has coached in the ASA Provincial select program as well as for Victoria, Scottish, NWU and also in the St. Albert program. Most recently, Rick has been coaching the Victoria women's program where his teams have experienced much success at both the Provincial and National level. Rick has worked for the ASA as a course conductor since the early eighties and is looking to renew acquaintances with many of the coaches who attended his courses over the years.

Federico has been involved with the game playing and coaching for 25 years. He has completed a Bachelor of Education Degree at the University of Alberta as well as coaching studies at York University in Toronto. Federico attained his Provincial B License through the Alberta Soccer Association in August 2011 and is currently coaching with Scottish United/Northwest United as well as with the Provincial Program at the ASA. Federico has coached players of various ages from U10 to Senior (adult), both male and female. Federico is looking forward to the challenge of working with the Concordia University College athletes.


Rick Haxby	Federico Sanmartin

Thunder Women's Soccer Athletic Awards Recipients Named

April 4, 2012

The recipients of this season Athletic Awards were named last night at the annual banquet held in the Teglar Centre. This year's winners include:

Erika Vecchio - Rookie of the Year
Brogan Buchanan - Most Dedicated Athlete
Lindsay Boland - Most Valuable Athlete
Lauren Tamke - Outstanding Scholastic Athlete
Lindsay Boland, Briony Buchanan - ACAC All-Conference Selectees
Lindsay Boland - CCAA All-Canadian Selectee
Briony Buchanan - CCAA Academic All-Canadian Award

Congratulations to all our award winners!

Concordia Thunder Women's Soccer Announce 2012 Recruiting Class

March 13, 2012

Not one, but six!
The Concordia Thunder are pleased to announce the signing of not one, but six new recruits for the upcoming Autumn 2012 ACAC Soccer season. Forwards Taylor Payne and Kacey Paplawski and defenders Alix Candido, Rachel Roebuck, Chantel Menard, and Kendra Benson play with Scottish United youth and have started their adult soccer careers playing together for Northwest United. Some of the six have been playing soccer together for as many as 7 years now and the Thunder hope to benefit from the chemistry they have developed. As a youth team, they have attended showcase tournaments in Vancouver, Calgary, Las Vegas, Italy and Phoenix. With the six recruits in their midst, the Northwest United Premier women’s soccer team are currently sitting in first place in league play. Second year Thunder team member Sheena Tracey (forward) is also from the same youth team. Previously announced recruit Laura D’Andrea's (midfield) Father is the Coach of the youth team. “Scottish United is one of the strongest youth teams in their age division, so that is where I started my recruiting for the 2012 season,” said Concordia Coach Dean Cordeiro. "It is so important to find the right mix of players and these women are not only outstanding athletes, but strong students as well.” Taylor Payne, Alix Candido and Kendra Benson attend Bev Facey High School; Chantel Menard attends Strathcona; Rachel Roebuck attends Paul Kane and Kacey Paplawski attends Archbishop O’Leary. Congratulations and welcome to the Thunder Women's Soccer 'Class of '12'!

Top: Chantel Menard, Alix Candido, Laura D'Andrea

Bottom: Kendra Benson, Taylor Payne, Rachel Roebuck, Kacey Paplawski

Thunder Women's Soccer Take Bronze Medal in ACAC Championships

October 31, 2011

The Concordia Thunder entered provincials with a bang on Friday, defeating the Medicine Hat Rattlers 5-1. Forward Lindsay Boland was at her best starting the scoring in the 6th minute by battling through two defenders before beating the Keeper. Erika Vecchio struck next with a beautiful finish. Lindsay added one more to take her team into halftime up 3-0. The second half saw more from Lindsay as she added her third goal on the day before being subbed out in the 55th minute. Midfielder Briony Buchanan added one more, putting the ball past the keeper to make it 5-0. The Rattlers managed to push one by Thunder Keeper Trish Arends to end the game 5-1. Player of the Game honours went to Centre Back Audrey Sydora for another outstanding defensive performance.
Saturday's semifinal would prove to be a much tougher game. The Thunder lined up against the South's #1 seeded (and CIS bound) Mount Royal Cougars. The game was a see saw affair with the Thunder struggling to maintain possession. Poor passing and missed opportunities were all over the field until in the 83rd minute, Mount Royal were able to finish a loose ball in Concordia's box. Down 1-0, the Thunder launched an all out attack but it was too little, too late as the final whistle blew. For the first time in 5 years, the Concordia Thunder Women's Soccer team would not advance to the ACAC Finals. Player of the Game honours went to Centre Back Sidney DoBlanko.Sunday's Bronze Medal match versus the Red Deer Queens went as well as Concordia could have hoped. The team saw a number of good chances in the first half but went into halftime tied Nil-Nil. In the second half, Erika Vecchio scored what would prove to be the game winner (her second of the weekend) off a great shot from the top of the box. Lindsay Boland added a second goal off a corner kick from Audrey Sydora and then added one final goal to finish the game 3-0. Player of the Game honours went to Lindsay Boland for another multiple-goal game.
"We started strong and finished strong," said Head Coach Dean Cordeiro. "But when you are at (the Championships), playing good in 2 out of 3 games is not acceptable. I think we all know we left something on the table versus Mount Royal, but you only get one chance. We walk away disappointed, but hopefully we learn from this and will be better players for it." Although the Thunder expressed 'disappointment' at the way the season ended, the Bronze Medal finish marks the 7th consecutive year that the Concordia Thunder Women's Soccer team has finished in the medals in ACAC competition. Congratulations to Coach Dean Cordeiro and his Thunder Women's team!

Photo Courtesy of Mt. Royal University

Thunder Women's Soccer Wins Fifth Straight Heading into Playoffs

October 24, 2011

The Thunder lined up against the MacEwan Griffins on Saturday in a battle for second place in the ACAC North. The Griffins started strong, pushing hard for an early goal with the Thunder defense coming up big to fend them off. Late in the first half, the defensive stalemate was broken when first year Erika Vecchio hammered a free kick past the MacEwan Keeper. The Thunder went into half time with the 1-Nil lead. The second half saw more great efforts from the Thunder, but they could not convert until a late passing sequence found Midfielder Jenny Lam open at the back post. She made no mistake, neatly placing it into the net. The game ended 2-Nil with Player of the Game honours going to Keeper and Captain Trish Arends for her outstanding play and leadership. Sunday saw the Thunder take on the Grande Prairie Wolves in the last game of the regular season. The Thunder looked disinterested early on, while the Wolves played an aggressive game. Their aggression paid off late in the half when the Wolves sent a forward on a breakaway counterattack that caught Concordia sleeping and sent the teams into the locker rooms with score at 1-Nil. Fortunately, the Thunder woke up at half time and came out flying. Forward Lindsay Boland started things off with a long range shot that beat the Wolves keeper. Erika Vecchio followed with a great left footed finish before Boland finished them off with two more tallies giving Concordia a decisive 4-1 victory. "We do great things when we show up to play," said Coach Cordeiro. "We just need to be sure that we bring our A game every time we step on the field." Player of the Game went to Lindsay Boland for another stellar offensive performance.

The Thunder will be heading to Calgary this coming weekend to compete for the ACAC Championship to be held at Mount Royal University. The Thunder will kick off the action on Friday, October 28th at 2:00 PM when they face the Rattlers from Medicine Hat College.

Photo by Jacob Bos

Thunder Women's Soccer Sniper Boland Named ACAC Athlete of the Week

October 18, 2011

The Thunder Women's Soccer team's top scorer Lindsay Boland has been named the ACAC Athlete of the Week for the week of October 10th to 16th. Lindsay was outstanding that previous weekend, scoring four goals and assisting one in her team’s 6-0 win over the Keyano Huskies on Saturday, October 15th. She was great again on Sunday, scoring a goal and providing two helpers as the team won 5-0. With the two wins, Lindsay helped her team secure a spot at the ACAC Soccer Championships. Lindsay has a little more on her plate than the typical athlete, balancing school, soccer and being a mother to her two children. She is a great example to her teammates; committed, positive and one of the hardest working players on the squad. Lindsay is from Sherwood Park and is in her third year of Open Studies at Concordia.
Congratulations Lindsay for being recognized as the Athlete of the Week!

Lindsay Boland

Thunder Women's Soccer Move into 2nd Place Tie with Pair of Weekend Victories

October 17, 2011

The Thunder Women's Soccer team travelled up north this weekend coming away with a pair of critical road wins. The action kicked off on Saturday with the first of two games against the Keyano Huskies. Right from the start, Concordia's ball movement was superb with the team playing two-touch soccer all over the pitch. The team was rewarded early with a goal in the first minute from defender April Wong. Erika Vecchio followed with a great volley finish off a cross from Forward Lindsay Boland. From that point on, all eyes were on Boland as she scored an amazing 4 goals. "It could have been more," said Coach Dean Cordeiro. "We took Lindsay off at the 60 minute mark to give some of our other girls a chance to shine. She was dynamic today, playing at a different level." The team finished the day with a satisfying 6-Nil showing. The teams lined up again on Sunday and the Thunder were again dominant. Vikki Gull scored first on a breakaway off a beautiful pass by Lindsay Boland. Lindsay went on to score her own goal on a great individual effort beating a defender and then the Keeper. Erika Vecchio rounded out the first half score on a great passing play with the final assist going to winger Jen Noppers. The second half saw two more goals find the net for the Thunder. The first came on a penalty kick awarded when defender April Wong was taken down in the box. Briony Buchanan took the kick and calmly put it in the back of the net. The final goal was a great free kick from Midfielder Jenny Lam. From 30 yards out, she curved it off the back post and in. "We saw some solid finishing today," said Coach Cordeiro. "However, we can still be better with our ball movement and shape." The Thunder will host a pair of home games to finish off the regular season. On Saturday they will face a crucial test when they go up against the very team they are tied with for 2nd place, the MacEwan Griffins. The outcome of that game will determine the placement of teams in the following week's ACAC Championships. The Thunder will close out the season on Sunday with a match against the Grande Prairie Wolves.


Photos by	Jacob Bos

Thunder Women's Soccer Back on Track with Weekend Victory

October 3, 2011

As we cross the midway point of the 2011 ACAC Soccer season, the Thunder Women's Soccer team have had to contend with the injury bug to a far greater extent than in any other season in recent memory. In spite of having several key players sidelined and 'resting' a significant number of their core veterans for the game, the Thunder were still able to put together a solid effort and secure a 4-Nil victory over the King's Eagles Saturday. Relying on their strong rookie class and led by their 2nd and 3rd year counterparts, the Thunder scored early off a corner kick with a great finish from 3rd year Audrey Sydora. Rookie Midfielder Erika Vecchio scored her third goal of the season to put Concordia up 2-Nil at the half. With Concordia exhibiting great positional play and ball control, the Thunder opened the second stanza with Rookie Karah Pegg scoring on a breakaway and 2nd year Forward Victoria Gull scoring her 4th of the season. The Thunder had several other great chances with Lindsay Boland hitting no less than three crossbars herself. Nonetheless, the Eagle's were able to hold off the Thunder onslaught and the game ended with the score at 4-Nil. "We had great ball movement today," said Coach Cordeiro. "We are dealing with a lot of injuries right now so it was good to see other players stepping up and playing big minutes for us." Player of the Game honours went to rookie Midfielder Erika Vecchio for a solid 90 minute performance. The Thunder will now have a week off to heal up and will start their playoff drive with a trip up north to Keyano College for a pair of games with the Huskies on October 15th and 16th.


Photos by	Jacob Bos

Thunder Women's Soccer Drop Close One to Rival NAIT

September 26, 2011

On Sunday, the Thunder Women's Soccer team hosted the return match with their longstanding nemesis, the NAIT Ooks. After a less that stellar showing in their first match against the Ooks, the Thunder Women came out strong, starting the game with several good scoring chances. The Ooks weren't prepared to give in, launching a full out attack strategy. However, the Thunder defense stood strong and the game went into half time tied Nil-Nil. The Thunder were dealt a stunning blow at the start of the second half when 3rd year Midfielder Briony Buchanan was red carded. Even playing a man down, the Thunder rallied and continued to attack. However, it was the Ooks who scored first, stealing the ball off a poorly played goal kick. The Thunder continued to push to score with a breakaway for forward Lindsay Boland ending in a spectacular collision with the NAIT Keeper, Midfield Erika Vecchio fanning on a shot from the top of the box and on the final play of the game, a breakaway from Victoria Gull resulted in her shot going just wide of the net. "It was a gutsy performance from our girls," said Coach Dean Cordeiro. "To go down a man so early in the second half and still create the chances we did, I am very proud of our team." Player of the Game honours went to Centre Back Audrey Sydora who was a stand out defensively, winning everything in the air and maintaining great team defensive shape. The Thunder are looking forward to getting back on the winning track next Saturday, October 1st when they journey across the river to face off with the King's College Eagles. Game time is at Noon.


Photos by	Jacob Bos

Thunder Women's Soccer Take 4 Out of 6 Points in Weekend Play

September 19, 2011

The Concordia Thunder started the second weekend of league play on Saturday with a visit to the MacEwan Griffins. The Thunder had some great chances early on with two breakaways from Striker Lindsay Boland, but she couldn't quite finish her chances. The game went into halftime in a Nil-Nil tie. Early in the second half the Griffins took advantage of a corner kick and scored off a header to take a 1-Nil lead. Finding themselves behind the 8-ball, the Thunder launched an all out attack. Winger Chantal Smith was finally able to break through on a great individual angle, beating the Keeper and then cutting the ball back from a nearly impossible angle to tie the game at 1-1. Unfortunately, Concordia was unable to find the net again and the game ended in a 1-1 tie. "We didn't start playing our game until we went down a goal and that is unacceptable," said Coach Cordeiro. "We need to be mentally tougher out there." Player of the Game went to Centre Back Audrey Sydora for her great defensive play.
On Sunday, Thunder women went up against the Grande Prairie Wolves at Concordia Field. The Thunder had a great start with Winger Briony Buchanan finishing a loose ball off a corner kick. The attack continued from the other wing with Chantal Smith scoring her second of the weekend, again from a tight angle to put the Thunder up 2-Nil. The Wolves were able to counter off a free kick that clanged off the cross bar and was neatly headed past Thunder Keeper Trish Arends. However, the Thunder weren't done yet and Striker Lindsay Boland was finally able to convert one of her many efforts, putting her team up 3-1 at half time. The second half promised more Thunder offense with Lindsay Boland tallying her second on the day, beating the defense and sliding the ball backpost. Winger Victoria Gull added one more on a volley to end the game at 5-1. Player of the Game went to Briony Buchanan who had an outstanding game, consistently beating her opponent down the left wing. Coach Cordeiro was happy with his team saying, "We haven't been satisfied with our play up to this point, but today the girls really stepped it up. All the things we worked on in training were visible in today's game. Our defensive shape looked great and our midfield was clicking." Coach was especially pleased with first year Jenna Urkow. "In her first game as a starter, she played 90 minutes and was dominant. That is the kind of performance we are looking for from our rookies". The Thunder are looking forward to next week's action when they host their archrivals, the NAIT Ooks on Sunday, September 25th at Noon.


Photos by	Hannah Giesbrecht

Concordia Thunder Women's Soccer Earn Split on Opening Weekend

September 12, 2011

The defending ACAC Champion Concordia Thunder Women's Soccer team kicked off their 2011 campaign at home on Friday afternoon when they faced the King's University College Eagles. The Thunder came roaring out of the gate, dominating the first half of play and putting up three counters before the 30 minute mark. Leading off the scoring was rookie Erika Vecchio who rang in a volley off a corner kick by 2nd year Defender April Wong. Former CIS West veteran Andrea Nippard scored her first ACAC counter with a well directed header, again from a corner kick. The Thunder's third goal came off the foot of 2nd year forward Vikki Gull on another great volley from just outside the 6 yard box. The Thunder maintained the pressure in the second half forcing the Eagles into a defensive shell but the wilting heat took a toll on both teams and the 3-Nil half time lead held true right to the final whistle. On Saturday afternoon, the Thunder headed across town for the first meeting with their archrivals, the NAIT Ooks. The Ooks got off to a great start and led the Thunder 5-Nil at the half with Concordia's lone goal coming again from rookie Erika Vecchio. Caught napping early on, the Thunder rallied at half time and came out in the second half with a pair of goals from Andrea Nippard and Vikki Gull. With the score sitting at 5-3, the Thunder continued to push offensively, drawing a penalty shot and an opportunity to reduce the Ooks lead to 1. Andrea Nippard stepped up, looking to tuck the ball in the corner of the net but rang her shot off the post instead. The Thunder continued to attack, but could not find the back of the net. The Ooks scored a final late goal to end the game at 6-3 and in the process, ending the Thunder Women's two year ACAC undefeated streak. After the rare loss, Coach Dean Cordeiro was philosophical. "Today was the end of an era, but tomorrow is the beginning of a new one. We have to go back to basics, get healthy and show up ready to play hard every game." The Thunder are looking forward to next weekend when they face off against the MacEwan Griffins on Saturday (17th) before playing host to the Grande Prairie Wolves on Sunday.


Photo by Railene Hooper	Photo by Hannah Giesbrecht