CIS women's field hockey Sunday roundup: Blues blank Gryphons, improve to 6-0

Photo credit Egan Davidson

York 2, Queen's 1 Final  

McGill 3, Waterloo 2 Final  

Western 1, Queen's 1  Final   

Toronto 3, Guelph 0 Final  

TORONTO - The Varsity Blues field hockey team shut out the OUA defending champion Guelph Gryphons 3-0 on Sunday, September 25 at Varsity Centre.

With the win, the Blues improve to 6-0 and remain in first place in the OUA standings.

Fourth-year defender Kelley Lusk of North Vancouver, B.C., opened the scoring in the 12th minute for what would be the eventual game-winner. Lusk played a solid game, defending and shutting down OUA leading scorer Brittany Seidler.

Sophomore forward and Blues leading scorer Alexandra Evanyshyn tallied Toronto’s second goal in the 18th minute and the Blues head onto a 2-0 lead at the half.

Toronto continued their stellar play into the second half, shutting down any Guelph opportunity that came their way. Fifth-year veteran and team co-captain Hannah Tighe of Penticton, B.C., added a beautiful goal in the 62nd minute, firing the ball into the top corner of the net.

Third-year goaltender Kathryn Williams (Burlington, Ont.) earned her third shut out of the weekend.

The Varsity Blues return to the field next Saturday, October 1 as they travel to Kingston, Ont., to take on the Queen’s Gaels. Game time is set for 9:30 a.m.

Source: Toronto Sports Info

Victoria 1, Alberta 0 Final  

VICTORIA - Kyla Kirby scored early in the second half on a pretty set play to give the Vikes their first win of the season. The at-home win gives the young Vikes a 1-3 conference record.

The Vikes poured on the pressure early in the game, hungry for their first points in the Canada West season. The Vikes would earn a penalty corner less than 5 minutes into the game but were unable to capitalize. Although the Vikes backfield seemed to control the majority of possession, action was evident in both circles.

Alberta rookie and centre midfielder Alanna Macdonald was strong in leading the Alberta offence, helping earn their first penalty corner only 11 minutes in. Midfielder Jennifer Cousineau  would strike the ball after a lay off but it just missed the near post. The Pandas would earn a second corner only a minute later, attempting the same play but Vikes defender Carly Krestanovich anticipated the shot.

Towards the end of the first half the Pandas began to capitalize off UVic outletting turnovers, generating several dangerous runs. Eventually, the Alberta offence was awarded with their third penalty corner and this time Jackie Trautman would drag the ball low and hard. UVic keeper Kaitlyn Williams calmly made the diving stick save.

The Vikes would earn a third corner before the half but Sam Purcell's shot from the short side was blocked by Macdonald. Purcell would later collect a ball on the right side and cross it hard to a waiting Whitney Siegmann but her deflection floated just wide of the far post. Play intensified in the last two minutes of the game with Chelsea Morton blocking a fourth Alberta corner by Cousineau to keep the first half locked at 0-0.

The Vikes would earn a penalty corner in the first 6 minutes of the second half but the option was mis-trapped and sailed off the end line. Minutes later, a strong run by Courtney Low down the right side seemed to be what Victoria needed to go ahead but Pandas keeper Tory Spencer made the save.

The Vikes would finally get on the board on a penalty corner when Kirby combined with Alexis Veljacic on a give and go play. Kirby calmly finished the ball to give the Vikes a 1-0 lead.

The Vikes continued to generate several chances in the second half but the Pandas defence held their own. The lone goal by Kirby would prevail and be all the Vikes would need to earn their first 3 points of the Canada West season.

Goal scorer Kirby said, "It was a great game. I think we worked really well as a team. It feels awesome to score the game winning goal and I think it's a good start. Next weekend is going to get even better and we are going to continue to work on our composure."

The Vikes will now move on to play UBC in Vancouver on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2 at 1 p.m.

Source: Ali Lee Victoria Sports Info

Western 2, McGill 2 Final  

UBC 3, Calgary 1 Final 

VANCOUVER – UBC and Calgary got all the scoring action out of the way early on Sunday, combining for four goals in the first 18 minutes of a 3-1 Thunderbirds win at Wright Field.
 
The T-Birds were jumpstarted by an early goal for the second straight game, as Sarah Keglowitsch got them on the board just four minutes into the match. The UBC lead was only a few minutes old when Keara Chicquen equalized for the Dinos, but the T-Birds took over the game from there.
 
Cassie Tayler received a cross-circle pass and one-timed it home inside the left post in the 15th minute to put the T-Birds back in front. Robyn Pendleton then made it a two goal lead with her third tally of the weekend just three minutes later. She took the ball on a long run into the circle, beating two Calgary defenders before ripping a shot just under the crossbar.
 
UBC head coach Hash Kanjee was much happier about his side's effort on Sunday, after the Dinos had the 'Birds on the ropes for much of Saturday's contest.
 
“We had to address a few things about our play yesterday,” he said. “We held out structure better today and I felt the kids played with a lot more confidence. Our captain Kristen Bertsch played really well, and so did Miranda Mann on defence. Robyn had another good game too. And we got great help off the bench from Cassie. All around we were better today. We made the right decisions and did the right things.”
 
Though they were unable to increase their lead in the second half, the T-Birds closed out the match in much stronger form than on Saturday. The Dinos' only pressure in the half came from back to back short corners early on, but they were turned away and forced to play most of the half in their own end.
 
“Its baby steps right now. We still have some things to fix but today was much better and we will just take each game, look at our game tapes to figure out what needs to be done better and try to fix things and continue to improve,” said Kanjee.
 
With the win, the T-Birds move into first place in Canada West at 3-1 on the year. The Dinos fall into a tie for second with the Alberta Pandas at 2-2. Those two teams will go head to head next weekend in Edmonton, while the T-Birds will look to remain on top as they host the rival Victoria Vikes at Wright field next Saturday and Sunday.

Source: UBC Sports Info