It was everything you would expect of a National Championship title game between the defending Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) National Champions Algonquin Thunder (Ottawa, ON) and the FQSE representative Champlain College (Saint Lambert, PQ) in the 2007 CCAA gold medal game held at Trent University this afternoon. The high paced and passionate game saw plenty of action to go around as the match went the distance, ending 3-2 in penalty kicks in favour of the Champlain Cavaliers.

Early in the game Algonquin looked to be in control in the first half, but it was Champlain drawing first blood early in the second session, as tournament MVP, Louis-Charles Laliberte, netted his first of two goals at the 54:56 minute mark. It didn’t take long for Algonquin to get on the scoreboard themselves and at the 62:36 mark, Tyller Farrow-Rose was awarded a penalty kick for Algonquin and the result was a tie game. Unfortunately, his celebration was deemed unsportsmanlike and a yellow card was issued to Farrow-Rose, his second of the game which carried an automatic ejection.

Regulation settled nothing and in the overtime, Algonquin’s Will Beauge, broke through the defense, forcing the Cavalier Keeper to make a great stop, but he was unable to control the rebound and Beauge headed the ball into the back of the net on a beautiful display of concentration and athleticism, putting Algonquin up 2-1.

With the game looking to be in hand in the dying seconds of injury time, Champlain's Louis-Charles Laliberte headed a Champlain free kick that found the back of the net evening up the match and sending the game into penalty kicks.

The Cavaliers may have held the advantage in the penalty kick round. “We had been in the same situation before (penalty kicks). That is how we won our Provincial Championship in Quebec,” recalled Howie. In the penalty kick round the Champlain Cavalier’s were the more accurate team, as they netted their first four shots, while Algonquin hit their first shot, but then missed their following two attempts ending the game.

“They didn’t play up to their potential,” said Algonquin Athletic Director, Ron Port of his team. “Getting the second yellow card was not a smart play and we ended up paying dearly for the mistake. You can’t go 10 on 11 in a gold medal game and expect to win.”

On the other side of the field, the Champlain College Head Coach, Dean Howie, was full of praise for his team. “We have a very young team with many of our player’s just turning 17-years-old. They are a unique group of guys and nothing seems to bother them. Before the gold medal game, they were playing cards on the bus, just relaxing. I am not surprised they held their composure when they were down late in the game.”

“The play went both ways,” said an obviously disappointed Loui Legakis following the match. Legakis, the 2006-07 OCAA Athlete of the Year, was named to the CCAA Tournament All-Star team for his second consecutive year.

“We played well as a team all year long and gelled very well,” said tournament all-star Mike Gagliano. “It is just an unfortunate ending to a great season for us.”

“Algonquin has a very good side and a very good program. They played very well. I am just glad the CCAA gave us an opportunity to play the game out on the field,” said a thankful Champlain head coach.

This game was a rescheduled match after being snowed out in Halifax, Nova Scotia last weekend.

Tournament All-Stars
Mike Gagliano, Algonquin
Loui Legakis, Algonquin
Will Beague, Algonquin
Jean-Simon Cantin, Champlain College - Saint Lambert
Berian Gobeil, Champlain College - Saint Lambert
Gregory Vincent Morin-Maltais, Champlain College - Saint Lambert
Louis-Charles Laliberte, Champlain College - Saint Lambert

Louis-Charles Laliberte, Champlain College - Saint Lambert, Tournament MVP

SCORING SUMMARY

First Half
No Scoring

Second Half
Louis-Charles Laliberte, Champlain (54th minute)
Tyller Farrow-Rose, Algonquin (62nd minute) – Penalty Kick

Extra Time
Will Beauge, Algonquin (95th minute)
Louis-Charles Laliberte, Champlain (120th minute)

Penalty Kicks
Champlain 4 (S – S – S – S)
Algonquin 1 (S – X – X)

S = Successful Attempt
X = Missed Attempt