GAME 8: 2009 CIS women’s field hockey championship: Reigning champion Vikes out of gold medal contention

By UVic sports information office

VICTORIA (CIS) – The tournament host Victoria Vikes will not get a chance to defend their CIS women’s field hockey title on Sunday after being stunned by a pair of Alberta goals in the final five minutes of play en route to a 2-1 loss in their fourth and final round-robin duel, Saturday morning.

It was the first loss of the weekend for the No. 3-seeded Vikes, who end the preliminary round with a 1-1-2 record and five points.

The No. 5 Pandas avenged a 2-1 loss to Victoria in last year’s CIS final with goals in 65th and 68th minutes and hold a 1-2-0 mark for three points after three matches. Alberta would earn a return trip to the championship game with a win over top-ranked Guelph (1-1-1) in their round-robin finale, Saturday at 4 p.m. Pacific Time.

The No. 2 UBC Thunderbirds (2-0-1), who share the all-time record of 11 McCrae Cup triumphs with Victoria, have already secured the first spot in Sunday’s 1 p.m. final.

Canada West player of the year Jackie Trautman scored the equalizer for Alberta on a penalty stroke with just five minutes remaining in regulation. Alberta was awarded the penalty stroke after a Vikes defender used her body to prevent the ball from entering the net.

Second-team all-Canadian Bunny Hughes put the Pandas ahead just three minutes later, scoring on a penalty corner.

“It was our first points of the tournament and we still have a chance to get into that gold-medal game,” said Hughes, a senior forward from Victoria. “Our whole team played phenomenal, we came together and it’s a perfect day for us when everyone shows up, everyone’s in it, everyone’s working together and supporting each other.”

Vikes senior forward Natalie Wise gave the home side an early advantage scoring in the fifth minute. Victoria generated early offensive pressure that produced a penalty corner opportunity, which Wise buried for her second goal in as many games.

Pandas game-MVP honours went to fourth-year defender Jennifer Peacock of Calgary. Victoria’s player of the game was Surrey, B.C., native Sumeet Aujla, a fifth-year defender.

SCORING SUMMARY
ALB: 0-2: 2
VIC: 1-0: 1

First half
5th, VIC, Natalie Wise (2)

Second half
65th, ALB, Jacqueline Trautman (1)
68th, ALB, Bunny Hughes (1)

Goaltenders
ALB: Tory Spencer (W, 70:00, 1 GA, 2-2-0)
VIC: Kaitlyn Williams (L, 70:00, 2 GA, 1-1-2)

Players of the game
ALB: Jennifer Peacock (Calgary, Alta.)
VIC: Sumeet Aujla (Surrey, 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 8 of 10 games)

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

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
Round-Robin 7: Victoria 1, Guelph 1

Saturday, Nov. 7
Round-Robin 8: Alberta 2, Victoria 1
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: UBC vs. TBD

- CIS -