Queens wrap up season at home as three graduating players recognized

Red Deer, AB – The injury riddled Red Deer College Queens gave it their all in the final regular season game, but couldn't overcome the visiting Medicine Hat College Rattlers.

The Rattlers jumped out to a two goal lead in the first half and added four in the final 45 minutes, picking up a 6-0 road win.

After 20 minutes of scoreless play, the Rattlers struck twice in a six minute span. Medicine Hat's Shelby Bach beat Queens goalkeeper Alethea Riemer in the 21st minute and Rio De Janeiro's Maisa Rebello added another in the 27th minute.

Five minutes into the second half, Rattlers third-year midfielder Barbara Nascimento gave the visitors a three goal cushion. Then Aleena Matthews, Grace Potter and Atlanta Evis connected in the 67th, 69th and 72nd minute for a 6-0 edge.

Kayla Nesseth was named the Collegiate Sports Medicine Queens Player-of-the-Game. Shelby Bach received the award for the Rattlers.

The RDC Queens tested Amanda Oevering five times. The Rattlers had nine shots on Riemer.

Queens Head Coach Esad Elkaz will use the experience this year for the betterment of next.

"We just tried to stay positive and finish the season as best as we could," he says. "You have to move on. Get better. Get tougher and more experienced for next season. See what works, what didn't work and move on with that."

Three student-athletes are graduating from the Queens Soccer program. Bronwyn Pfeifle, Emily Richard, Mikayla Fujimoto were recognized after the game for their contributions. Pfeifle is transferring to the University of Calgary. Richard will attend the University of Alberta and Fujimoto will be at the University of Lethbridge next year.

"It's very sad about all of those three good athletes leaving - three good students. We are talking about two captains (Emily and Bronwyn) and Mikayla Fujimoto who was Rookie of the Year and an all-star," says Elkaz. "It will be huge for us, but that is part of my job. I will have to go out and find the replacements for them."

Richard had mixed emotions in her final game wearing a Queens uniform.

"It's a pretty sentimental thing, but I really enjoyed my last two years here so it ended on a happy note in the same sense," she says.

"The people that I met here and the memories" stood out for the Bachelor of Kinesiology student.

The second-year midfielder has no plans of hitting the pitch for the University of Alberta Pandas, at least for next season.

"I have been dealing with injuries the past two years, so I really need to take a year off and get my body healthy," she explains.

Both the Queens (4-8-0) and Rattlers (5-4-3) missed the playoffs. Advancing to the postseason from the south are the Lethbridge College Kodiaks (8-1-2), SAIT Trojans (7-3-2) and Olds College Broncos (7-4-1).