Photo credit Guelph Athletics
GUELPH, Ont. (CIS) – Led by the outstanding play of goalkeeper Kaitlyn Williams, the No. 4-seeded Victoria Vikes evened their record at 1-1 at the CIS women’s field hockey championship, Thursday evening, with a 2-1 upset win over the tournament host and favourite Guelph Gryphons, who fell to 0-2 in round-robin play.
Victoria had lost 3-0 to No. 3 Toronto in its tourney opener earlier Thursday, while Guelph was dropped 2-1 by No. 2 UBC.
Perri Espeseth of Duncan, B.C., opened the scoring only four minutes into the match for the Vikes, but Brittany Seidler of Oliver, B.C., responded only two minutes later for Guelph.
Forward Kayleen VandeRee of Courtenay, B.C., tallied what stood as the game-winner in the 29th minute of play.
A native of White Rock, B.C., Williams was stellar in net for the Vikes, earning the player of the game honour for the winning side.
“She rebounded, she’s a good kid and she wants to win,” UVic head coach Lynne Beecroft said of her goaltender’s reaction to the 3-0 loss to U of T.
The Vikes made a few changes in the back field for a high-scoring Guelph team that led the OUA with 85 goals in 14 regular season games, and managed to capitalize on their chances, which they didn’t do in their earlier match.
“I think Guelph played a very good game and were unlucky to not have scored a couple of times,” said Beecroft.
Espeseth opened the scoring when she carried the ball to the top of the circle and drove it past Kaye McLagan of Mitchell, Ont.
The Gryphons didn’t stay behind for long as two minutes later two-time reigning CIS player of the year Brienne Stairs of Kitchener, Ont., found Seidler on a short corner. Seidler swept the ball into the back of the net.
Williams kept the score level at 1-1 midway through the first half with a diving stick tackle on Stairs, who had broken away from the defence.
VandeRee scored the difference-maker when the Vikes finally capitalized on a short corner, after going 0-for-11 against Toronto. She tipped the ball into the top of the net for the game-winner.
Guelph earned three penalty corners in a row at the start of the second half but couldn’t score, just narrowly missing on the third attempt. Stairs broke through again in the 54th minute but her shot went just wide.
The Vikes were on their heels for most the second period, not getting their first penalty corner until 14 minutes in. They were unable to make anything of it though and on the ensuing breakout, Stairs carried the ball into the circle and won a short corner. However, the Gryphons too could not capitalize.
Williams was the main reason that the Gryphons couldn’t score in the second half, up to the challenge of penalty corners, breakaways and scrambles in the circle.
Victoria (1-1) resumes the four-game preliminary round Friday at 12:20 p.m. against No. 5 Waterloo (0-1).
Guelph (0-2) plays the late game on Friday, at 4 p.m., against OUA archrival Toronto (1-0).
GAME NOTES: The Vikes hosted the previous two CIS tournaments, winning gold in 2008 and bronze in 2009... Victoria ranks second all-time to UBC (12) with 11 McCrae Cup titles...
SCORING SUMMARY
VIC: 2-0: 2
GUE: 1-0: 1
First half
4th, VIC, Perri Espeseth (1)
6th , GUE, Brittany Seidler (1)
29th , VIC, Kayleen VandeRee (1)
Second half
No Scoring
Goaltenders
VIC: Kaitlyn Williams (W, 70:00, 1 GA, 1-1)
GUE: Kaye McLagan (L, 70:00, 2 GA, 0-2)
Players of the game
VIC: Kaitlyn Williams (White Rock, B.C.)
GUE: Lauren Goodmanson (Victoria, B.C.)
PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP SEEDING
1. Guelph Gryphons (OUA champions)
2. UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West champions)
3. Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA finalists)
4. Victoria Vikes (Canada West second place)
5. Waterloo Warriors (OUA bronze medallists)
STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Round-robin standings (after 4 of 10 games)
GP W L
T GF GA
PTS
1.
UBC 2 2
0 0 8 3 6
2. Toronto
1
1 0
0 3 0 3
3. Victoria
2
1 1
0 2 4
3
4. Waterloo 1
0 1
0 2 6 0
5. Guelph
2
0 2 0 2 4 0
Thursday, Nov. 4
9:30 Round-Robin 1: Guelph 1, UBC 2
11:50 Round-Robin 2: Toronto 3, Victoria 0
15:30 Round-Robin 3: UBC 6, Waterloo 2
17:50 Round-Robin 4: Victoria 2, Guelph 1
Friday, Nov. 5
10:00 Round-Robin 5: Toronto vs. UBC
12:20 Round-Robin 6: Victoria vs. Waterloo
16:00 Round-Robin 7: Guelph vs. Toronto
Saturday, Nov. 6
10:00 Round-Robin 8: Toronto vs. Waterloo
12:20 Round-Robin 9: UBC vs. Victoria
16:00 Round-Robin 10: Guelph vs. Waterloo
17:30 Tie-Breaking Strokes (if necessary)
Sunday, Nov. 7
10:00 Bronze medal
13:00 Championship final
- CIS -