Box Score Oshawa, ON - On a sunny fall day in Oshawa, Ontario, the Mount Royal Cougars faced a challenging 1-0 defeat against the Montreal Carabins in a tightly contested U SPORTS championship quarter-final match.

At kickoff, both teams entered with aggression, resulting in an offside call in favour of Montreal just 27 seconds in. This would set the tone for an intense match from the start, with both teams battling from the first whistle.

Mount Royal wasted no time creating chances, as Ethan Keen fired the first shot in the 6th minute, just missing the target. Dawid Dudek followed shortly after, taking a shot in the 11th minute that veered wide left. Despite several attempts, the Cougars struggled to find the back of the net but continued to press forward, generating strong offensive pressure.

Montreal's offense picked up as the first half progressed, testing goalkeeper Sjard Strauss with multiple shots. Strauss stood tall, making crucial saves in the 17th, 19th, and 21st minutes to keep the score tied. The Cougars threatened back, with Miguel Da Rocha taking a shot in the 40th minute that was stopped by Carabins keeper Joakim Mill. As the first half came to a close, the score remained 0-0, with both teams playing solid defense.

The second half began with the same intensity, as both teams came out looking to make an impact. But, in the 51st minute, Montreal's Maxime Filion broke through, scoring the game's first and only goal, sending the Carabins up 1-0.

The Cougars continued to pressure, generating corner kicks and making substitutions to freshen up the attack. Despite their best efforts, Montreal's defense remained strong, blocking an Abel Nesibu corner kick late in extra time to end the match.

Strauss' remarkable seven saves on 19 shots kept Mount Royal within reach, but despite best efforts, the Cougars were unable to find an equalizer.

Mount Royal will play in tomorrow's consolation match against St. Francis Xavier, set for 9:00am MST. Fans can catch the action live on CBC Sports.