CIS women's field hockey Sunday roundup: Blues notch ninth straight win

Source: York Sports Info

TORONTO - Anna Easty scored two goals to lead the York University Lions field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over the McGill Martlets at Downsview Park on Sunday morning (Oct. 14).
 
Easty, who is in her first season with the Lions after spending three seasons with the University of Connecticut, scored all three Lions goals on the weekend for her first three scores of the year.
 
The Lions dominated play for much of the first half, but it was the Martlets that got on the board first with an action goal in the 28th minute off the stick of Annelies Calnan.
 
McGill carried its one goal lead into halftime, and through the early part of the second, but the Lions finally got on the board in the 51st minute when Easty scored on a corner.
 
It took only eight minutes for the Lions to take the lead after that, as Easty tallied her second of the contest in the 59th minute on another corner.
 
Shannon Vance (Goderich, Ont.) shut the door after that to give the Lions their third win of the season.
 
The Lions now hold a 3-6-1 record and remain in fifth place in the OUA standings with 10 points. They will wrap up the regular season next weekend in Kingston, Ont., when the Queen's Gaels play host to the rest of the conference. The Lions will be in tough with their final two games on Saturday (Oct. 20), going up against the top two teams in the division in the Guelph Gryphons (12:30pm) and Toronto Varsity Blues (4pm).

Source: Toronto Sports Info

TORONTO - The Varsity Blues field hockey team shut out the Queen's Gaels 9-0 on Sunday morning (Oct. 14) at Downsview Park.

With the win, the Blues improve to 9-0 and remain perfect heading into the final week of the regular season.

U of T used their speed and technical ability to outplay Queen's. 2011 CIS rookie of the year Amanda Woodcroft (Waterloo, Ont.) opened the scoring with the eventual game-winner in the 23rd minute off a stroke.

Third-year midfielder Tegan Stairs, her sister Emma and four-time CIS all-Canadian Kaelan Watson each had two goals, while Kelley Lusk and Alison Lee rounded out the scoring with single tallies.

The Varsity Blues return to the field next Saturday, October 20 as they travel to Kingston, Ont., for two games versus the Western Mustangs (10:45 a.m.) and York Lions (4pm).

The University of Toronto is the proud host of the 2012 CIS field hockey championship, November 1-4, at Varsity Centre.

Source: Calgary Sports Info

CALGARY – She joined the University of Calgary Dinos as the youngest female athlete in CIS history – and five years later, Carolina Romeo is set for the next step in her journey.
 
Romeo wrapped up a memorable five-year field hockey career with the Dinos Sunday afternoon in a 4-0 loss to UBC. She leaves the Dinos as a two-time CIS all-Canadian, an Academic All-Canadian, and a five-year starter who was part of a charmed journey with the field hockey program that culminated with a national final appearance on home turf last year. She will receive her degree from the University of Calgary's Schulich School of Engineering next spring.
 
And she's only 20 years old.
 
“I don't know that there will ever be anybody else like Carolina,” said an emotional Dinos head coach Jenn Swagar following Sunday's game. “She's very unique – she's a good leader, she's a great role model, and just a phenomenal young woman.”
 
In 2008, her arrival at the U of C made headlines across the country. Her recruiting announcement was attended by the Chancellor and the dean of engineering, and it was a front page story in both Calgary newspapers. At just 15 years old, Romeo became the youngest female student-athlete in CIS history, accepted into university with after an accelerated high school program and recipient of the highest academic entrance award available at the U of C in a Chancellor's Club scholarship. In 2009, she was named one of Canada's Top 20 Under 20.
 
All this in addition to an exemplary athletic resume including stints with the national team programs in both field hockey and ringette.
 
She excelled on the field and in the classroom during her time as a Dino. She became the youngest ever Academic All-Canadian in 2008-09, an honour she would receive throughout her career. She was thrice named a Canada West field hockey all-star, honoured twice as a second team all-Canadian, and earned a spot on the championship tournament all-star team in 2011 after leading the Dinos to a national silver medal.
 
“I'm more emotional than I thought I would be,” admitted Romeo on the turf as she celebrated with her teammates. “I can't believe that this is the last weekend I get to put on a Dinos jersey. Throughout my five years we've gone through a lot of highs and lows, and obviously last year was the best year getting a silver at Canada West and at nationals.
 
“I've enjoyed it all, and I can't believe it's over.”
 
The building process – one that Romeo says was part of the attraction to attending the U of C in the first place – culminated with the Dinos hosting the 2011 CIS field hockey championship at Hawkings Field. And on a weekend marked by every possible weather system in Calgary in November, the Dinos finished with the national silver medal – their best finish in program history.
 
“That's probably my greatest sport memory, hosting nationals last year,” she said. “I never thought it would be as big a deal as it was.”
 
After graduating much of the core of the 2011 team, this year's edition of the Dinos brought a different challenge and a different role for her as she took on the new challenges of leadership and mentorship for a young team. The transition from a successful team last year to a rebuilding phase in 2012 was an adjustment, but one Swagar said Romeo was able to take in stride and excel with – like everything else.
 
“She's been unbelievably supportive and team-oriented this year, and this is one of the closest-knit teams I've ever coached,” said Swagar. “And Carolina has made it that way.
 
“She knows what she wants in life, and I think that's a fantastic person to have on your team.”

Source: Guelph Sports Info

TORONTO - Sunday, the Gryphons recorded their second win in two days with a 3-1 victory over Waterloo to propel them to a 7-1-1 record for second spot in the OUA with 22 points.

Three-time All-Canadian, Brittany Seidler, put the Gryphs on the scoreboard 14 minutes into play converting on a stroke after she was tripped from behind on a 2-0 breakaway on the Warrior goalkeeper. Guelph took the 1-0 lead into the half time break.

Eight minutes into the second frame, Erin Houle capitalized on a penalty corner to put the Gryphons in front by 2. This marked Houle's 3rd goal in two days. At the 64-minute mark, Waterloo retaliated to reduce the margin by 1. With 3 minutes on the clock, Seidler netted the Gryphs' insurance marker for a 3-1 final. Seidler is leading scorer in the country with 16 goals on the season. Seidler and Houle also added an assist apiece. Captain Courtney Lacey had an intelligent and outstanding performance at the centre defender position.

Coach Turley commented, "this was a great team win. We played the way were are capable of playing. We were poised, quick on our self starts, first to the ball for two solid halves, released the ball quickly and passed exceptionally well."

The Gryphons will wrap up league play next weekend in Kingston. Saturday vs York at 12:30 pm and Sunday vs Toronto at 10:45 am and Western at 2:15 pm.