LENNOXVILLE, Que. - After a year and a half varsity hiatus, the Gaiters showed little signs of being rusty. Andréa Boily netted her first RSEQ University goal to lift the Gaiters women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over the UQAM Citadins on Friday in front of a capacity crowd in Lennoxville. Boily found the back of the net in the 22nd minute on a pass from Kalin O'Brien (Oakville, Ont./St. Thomas Aquinas C.S.S.), who threaded the ball through the Citadin defense. 

"I just went for the ball - it's my role to go for it and to put the ball in the net," said Boily after her first game on Coulter Field. "It's amazing to be a Gaiter! I've never played in front of a crowd like that! I had goosebumps."

The Gaiters battled in the first half and maintained the game's physicality throughout the 90 minutes of game time. The Citadins finished the game with 20 shots but the Gaiters kept them off the scoresheet while goalkeeper Anne-Marie Ulliac recorded her first shutout in the purple and silver and was named the game MVP. Despite her numerous saves, Ulliac was quick to credit the entire team for tonight's success and has big hopes for this season.
 
"We've talked a lot lately about playing together and playing unified and honestly, I saw that throughout the whole game," stated Ulliac. "This is a step for us - this isn't the end. This is the first step forward this year."

Head coach, Paul Ballard, was thrilled to open the season with a victory against one of the conference's top competitors and is ready for what the future brings.

Up next, the Gaiters (1-0) return to Coulter Field next Friday September 17 and look to continue their winning ways against the UQTR Patriotes. Game time is 7PM.