GAME 6: 2009 CIS women’s field hockey championship: No. 4 Toronto keeps medal hopes alive

By UVic sports information office

VICTORIA (CIS) – The 10-time McCrae Cup champion and fourth-seeded Toronto Varsity Blues kept their medal hopes alive in game six of the 2009 CIS women’s field hockey championship with a 2-1 win over the No. 5 Alberta Pandas, Friday afternoon at the University of Victoria.

Both the OUA finalist Varsity Blues and Canada West third-place finisher Pandas entered the duel in search of their first victory of the tournament. Toronto went into the match with an 0-2 mark after losses against reigning champion Victoria and top-ranked Guelph on Thursday, while Alberta endured a loss to No. 2 UBC on opening day.

The Varsity Blues got off to a quick start with freshman Rianna Sterk of Embro, Ont., capitalizing on a penalty corner two minutes into the match. Toronto scored what proved to be the game-winner midway through the second half as Kristen Shier, a third-year defender from North Vancouver, B.C., sniped the top right corner off a penalty stroke in the 50th minute.

Striker Carly Flemming spoiled Toronto ‘keeper Samantha Lyzun’s shutout bid in stoppage time, banging home a rebound off a penalty corner for her second goal of the tournament.

Lyzun, a sophomore from West Vancouver, B.C., was named Toronto’s player of the game. Alberta game-MVP honours went to Victoria native and two-time all-Canadian Bunny Hughes.

“I think we really needed a win today – it was good to come out and score right away because we haven’t scored too many goals in this tournament,” said Shier. “Our defence was poor in the first half, but we turned that around today.”

The win moved Toronto out of the final spot in the standings and kept their medal hopes alive. The Varstiy Blues, who close out round-robin play against undefeated UBC (2-0-1) Saturday at 12:20 p.m. Pacific Time, are trying to avoid a second straight year of not advancing past the preliminary stage.

Meanwhile, the Pandas are still in search of their first win of the tournament. Alberta has two games remaining and will open the final day of round-robin competition against the host Vikes (1-0-1) Saturday at 10 a.m. The Pandas will also play Guelph (1-1) later in the day with a 4 p.m. start time.

SCORING SUMMARY
Toronto: 1-1: 2
Alberta: 0-1:1

First half
2nd, TOR, Rianna Sterk (1)

Second half
50th, TOR, Kristen Shier (2)
70+, AB, Carly Flemming (2)

Goaltenders
Toronto: Samantha Lyzun (W, 70:00, 1 GA, 1-2-0)
Alberta: Tory Spencer (L, 70:00, 2 GA, 0-2-0)

Players of the game
Toronto: Samantha Lyzun (West Vancouver, B.C.)
Alberta: Bunny Hughes (Victoria, B.C.)

CHAMPIONSHIP SEEDING, STANDINGS & SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL: PACIFIC)

Seeding

1. Guelph Gryphons (OUA champions)
2. UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West champions)
3. Victoria Vikes (second place Canada West)
4. Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA finalists)
5. Alberta Pandas (third place Canada West)

Round-robin standings (after 6 of 10 games)

GP W L T GF GA PTS
1. UBC 3 2 0 1 6 2 7
2. Victoria 2 1 0 1 1 0 4
3. Guelph 2 1 1 0 5 5 3
4. Toronto 3 1 2 0 4 7 3
5. Alberta 2 0 2 0 2 5 0

Thursday, Nov. 5
Round-Robin 1: UBC 3, Guelph 1
Round-Robin 2: Victoria 1, Toronto 0
Round-Robin 3: UBC 3, Alberta 1
Round-Robin 4: Guelph 5, Toronto 2

Friday, Nov. 6
Round-Robin 5: Victoria 0, UBC 0
Round-Robin 6: Toronto 2, Alberta 1
16:00 Round-Robin 7: Guelph vs. Victoria

Saturday, Nov. 7
10:00 Round-Robin 8: Victoria vs. Alberta
12:20 Round-Robin 9: UBC vs. Toronto
16:00 Round-Robin 10: Guelph vs. Alberta
17:30 Tie-Breaking Strokes (if necessary)

Sunday, Nov. 8
10:00 Bronze medal
13:00 Championship final

- CIS -