This weekend, the Gaels left zero room for doubt against their cross-town rivals.
On Sept. 14, the Queen’s women’s soccer team defeated the Royal Military College (RMC) Paladins by a whopping 9-0. The game was their return home to Richardson Stadium after a trip to Toronto, which saw them take their first loss of the season.
The Gaels dominated from start to finish, blanking the Paladins in goals and shots, launching 28 shots to RMC’s zero.
In an interview with The Journal, Queen’s women’s soccer Head Coach Dave McDowell, ArtSci/PheKin ’86, ConEd ’87, called it the most complete performance of the season so far. “For the first time all year, it looked like the team we foresee ourselves being…it was a pretty complete performance,” he said.
Queen’s set the tone immediately, recording multiple chances within the first 60 seconds of the game. Then, just over a minute in, Tatiana Kayrouz, Comm ’27, launched a corner kick, which defender Erin Hedgcock, Comm ’26, headed past the goalkeeper for her second goal as a Gael.
Less than three minutes later, the Gaels proved it wasn’t a fluke. Seema Sakran, Kin ‘26, sent a cross that was briefly intercepted by a Paladin defender before Sam Caputo, HealthSci ’28, took control and knocked a shot around the goalkeeper for her first as a Gael.
Ten minutes into the game, Mattson Stricker, ConEd ’26, launched a long cross to Sakran, who made no mistake finishing in tight to make the score 3-0 Gaels.
RMC held tight for another 16 minutes, but a strong Sakran pass was one-touched by Stricker before landing in the feet of Brinley Bjornson, ArtSci ’28, who knocked the ball past the goal line for her first of the season.
McDowell praised his team’s mentality amid the lopsided scoreline. “Even at 8-0 and 9-0, we’re still ready to defend immediately afterwards and win the ball back quickly. I was really pleased with that ambition and attitude,” he said.
The Paladins, led by goalkeeper Brianna West, held strong for the rest of the half and continued to stave off the hungry Queen’s offence for ten minutes into the second half. However, in the 55th minute, a Paladin defender attempted to clear a pass from Caputo, only for the ball to launch backwards into the RMC net for an own goal.
Bjornson added her second of the match, followed by Kayrouz’s first of the season and a second goal from Sakran. In the eightieth minute, Lily Coish, ArtSci ’27, capped off the game with a beautiful strike from outside the box that went into the top-right of the net.
McDowell credited his team’s depth for sustaining their momentum. “We can sub and still do all of the same things we were doing before. That signifies really high performance going forward,” he said, pointing to the spread of scorers as a strength. “We have so many different names on the goal sheet. It’s been a real positive.”
The result improves Queen’s record to 4-1 and marks their third shutout of the season. With a long road trip north this weekend, McDowell emphasized consistency. “Our best players have to be our best players, and our focus has to be on the next moment,” he said. “This weekend will be a test of where we are.”
With the win, Queen’s improves to 11th in U Sports’ women’s soccer rankings, up from twelfth the week before.
The Gaels will travel to Sudbury, ON., to face off against the Laurentian Voyageurs on Sept. 20 at Noon ET. Earlier this season, the Gaels won 5-0 against the Voyageurs in their season opener.
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