Queens defeat Rattlers, head into playoffs against Vikings with momentum

Brent Forster - Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics

Medicine Hat, AB – With playoff implications on the line, the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens rolled into Medicine Hat and controlled the game.

The Queens received goals from six different student-athletes and earned an important 6-3 victory, sealing third in the division and a trip to the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Women's Soccer South Division quarter-finals. 

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens set the pace early and in the 17th minute they hit the scoreboard. First-year Sofia Quinteros beat Rattlers goalkeeper Amanda Oevering, who was busy on the afternoon.

The goal provided the visitors with momentum, rattling off three more consecutive goals. Red Deer's Corbynn Fujimoto, Stettler's Alisha Coules, and Lacombe's Jenica Swartz lifted the Queens to a 4-0 edge by the 35th minute.

Before the end of the half, Maisa Rebello found room behind Queens goalkeeper Danyelle Bouvier, reducing the deficit to three.

After the break, the Rattlers made things interesting. Ana Waurynchuk and Shelby Bach scored four minutes apart, bringing the home team within a goal.

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens remained composed. Lexi Kowalchuk, a Bachelor of Education Middle School student, scored an insurance goal in the 79th minute to propel the Queens to a 5-3 margin. Only a minute later, Grace Smith added Red Deer Polytechnic's sixth marker, solidifying a 6-3 road win.

E. Quinteros (8)

Estel Quinteros, a first-year Bachelor of Science Nursing student, was named the Queens Player of the Game. Maisa Rebello took top honours for the Rattlers.

The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens outshot the Medicine Hat College Rattlers 21-3.

With the victory, the Queens (4-2) placed third in the division and have won four of their past five games. They will play the University of Alberta Augustana Vikings, who finished sixth, in a quarter-final match. In their previous meeting, the Red Deer Polytechnic Queens soundly defeated the U of A Augustana Vikings 8-1. 

Stay tuned to Red Deer Polytechnic Athletics social media and website, along with the ACAC website for more details about the Queens' playoff match.