Photo credit Guelph Athletics
GUELPH, Ont. (CIS) – Katherine McNeill scored with four
minutes left in regulation to lead the third-seeded University of
Toronto Varsity Blues to the 11th CIS women’s field hockey
title in team history thanks to a 2-1 win over the defending
champion UBC Thunderbirds, Sunday afternoon.
The OUA finalist Blues return home from the tournament hosted by
the University of Guelph with an unblemished record (5-0), a first
for Toronto since 1996.
Thanks to their first CIS banner since 2007, the Blues are now tied
with Victoria in second place all-time for most McCrae Cup
triumphs, one behind UBC.
McNeill, a third-year forward from North Vancouver, B.C., picked
the ball out of a scramble on a rebound and pushed it by goalkeeper
Bea Francisco of Richmond, B.C., for her second marker of the
tournament.
Toronto had opened the scoring for the fifth time in as many games
this week when rookie forward Alexandra Evanysnyn of Burlington,
Ont., tallied her championship-leading sixth goal 15 minutes
in.
All-Canadian forward Victoria Pearson of Tsawwassen, B.C., evened
the affair in the 26th minute for No. 2 seed UBC with her third of
the competition.
Much of the first half was played in the neutral zone. The U of T
defence was strong, holding UBC to only one short corner in the
opening 35 minutes. The Blues however were unable to capitalize on
their five penalty corner opportunities.
At the 15-minute mark, CIS all-star Kyesia O’Neale of
Mississauga, Ont., received a pass down the right hand line and
dished it off to Evanysnyn, who charged into the circle. What was
supposed to be a hard cross deflected off a UBC defender’s
stick and into the net.
UBC did not back down and the pressure paid off. Pearson picked off
a U of T switch attempt in the circle and with a powerful, diving
reverse shot got the Canada West champions on the board.
Evanysnyn’s outstanding offensive performance continued in
the second half as she carried the ball all the way from half,
earning a penalty corner on which Toronto could not capitalize.
Francisco kept her team in the game after forward Kirsten Bertsch
of Duncan, B.C., was sent off with a green card for rough play.
Francisco made a diving stop on a Blues forward in alone in the
42nd minute.
A few minutes later, UBC had a goal called back on a short corner
on a whistle that went just before the ball hit the backboard
revealing a foul on a Blues player.
Toronto netminder Kathryn Williams of Burlington, Ont., who was in
net for three of the Blues’ victories at the championship,
was able to keep the ball out in the final few minutes despite
pressure from UBC.
The Blues defensive core of Frankie Vondrejs from Terra Cotta,
Ont., and North Vancouver natives Heather Haughn, Lauren Mansfield
and Kelley Lusk neutralized the strong T-Bird attack.
The Blues started their celebration only after they hit away an
offensive short corner away after the final whistle was blown.
Third-year Toronto defender Kaelan Watson of Richmond, B.C., was
named MVP of the championship.
GAME NOTES: Toronto had last claimed the McCrae Cup at home in 2007
thanks to a 1-0 overtime win over Guelph... Toronto is now 2-3
all-time in CIS finals against UBC including wins in 2010 and 1988,
and losses in 1983, 1982 and 1978... UBC defeated Alberta 6-0 in
the 2009 final to capture its record 12th McCrae Cup... UBC was
playing in its 18th CIS final since the inaugural championship in
1975, while Toronto was playing for CIS gold for the 17th time...
Victoria holds the record of 19 appearances in the national
final... Only six of the 36 CIS women’s field hockey finals
(including 2010) have been played without UBC and/or Toronto
– and all six have included Victoria (versus York in 1984,
York in 1989, UNB in 1992, York in 1994, Alberta in 1987 and
Alberta in 2008)...
SCORING
SUMMARY
TOR 1-1: 2
UBC 1-0: 1
First half
15th, TOR, Alexandra Evanysnyn (6)
26th, UBC, Victoria Pearson (3)
Second half
66th, TOR, Katherine McNeill (2)
Goaltenders
TOR: Kathryn Williams (W, 70:00, GA, 3-0)
UBC: Bea Francisco (L, 70:00, GA, 3-2)
Players of the game
TOR: Kaelan Watson (Richmond, B.C.)
UBC: Samantha Saddler (West Vancouver, B.C.)
TOURNAMENT
ALL-STARS
Championship MVP: Kaelan Watson (Richmond, B.C.),
Toronto
R.W. Pugh Fair Play award: Waterloo Warriors
Perri Espeseth (Duncan, B.C.), Victoria
Caitlin Evans (Duncan, B.C.), UBC
Danielle Hennig (Kelowna, B.C.), Victoria
Kyla Kirby (Victoria, B.C.), Victoria
Sarah MacAulay (Vancouver, B.C.), UBC
Kyesia O’Neale (Mississauga, Ont.), Toronto
Victoria Pearson (Tsawwassen, B.C.), UBC
Natalie Sourisseau (Kelowna, B.C.), UBC
Brienne Stairs (Kitchener, Ont.), Guelph
Hannah Tighe (Penticton, B.C.) Toronto
Kaelan Watson (Richmond, B.C.), Toronto
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 (FINAL after Saturday)
GP W
L
T
GF GA
PTS
1. Toronto
4
4
0
0
15
2 12
2.
UBC
4
3
1
0
9
4 9
3. Victoria
4
2
2
0
7
5 6
4.
Guelph 4
1
3
0 8
10 3
5. Waterloo
4
0
4
0
5
23 0
Thursday, Nov. 4
9:30 Round-Robin 1: UBC 2, Guelph 1
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 1, UBC 0
12:20 Round-Robin 6: Victoria 5, Waterloo 0
16:00 Round-Robin 7: Toronto 4, Guelph 1
Saturday, Nov. 6
10:00 Round-Robin 8: Toronto 7, Waterloo 1
12:20 Round-Robin 9: UBC 1, Victoria 0
16:00 Round-Robin 10: Guelph 5, Waterloo 2
Sunday, Nov. 7
10:00 Bronze medal: Guelph 3, Victoria 0
13:00 Championship final: Toronto 2, UBC 1
-CIS-