HAMILTON, Ont. - The Western Mustangs will look to defend their Ontario University Athletics (OUA) title on Saturday as they participate in the 2009 OUA Badminton Championship, hosted by York University.
The undefeated Mustangs will face off against the 2-3 York Lions on Saturday morning in the first round of playoffs. Western, with its 5-0 record this season, will have an advantage, but the Lions will have home court on their side.
The Mustangs have dominated all season long, including their 12-1 rout of the York Lions on Oct. 31, sealing the deal for their appearance in the semifinals.
Western's Martin Giuffre (Calgary) has been a driving force behind the Mustangs. In their victory over the Lions, Giuffre defeated his opponent in straight sets by scores of 21-8 and 21-14, making him a significant threat in the playoffs.
In addition to Giuffre, Western's Jenn Lam (Toronto) is a strong influence on the court. Lam, the OUA's 2008 most valuable player, teamed up with last year's rookie of the year Alexandra Bruce (Toronto) to take first place in women's doubles at the Canadian university and college national championships. Winning her singles set against York, Bruce will be one more menace to the rest of the teams vying for the championship.
In their two regular season wins, the Lions squeaked past their opponents, winning by scores of 9-4 against the Ryerson Rams and 7-6 against the McMaster Marauders.
York will have to depend on Brian Ngo (Newmarket, Ont.) to capitalize on his recent success against the Mustangs. The third-year Lion, alongside Sally Fung (Toronto), took York's lone victory in mixed doubles against the Mustangs in their 12-1 loss.
The semifinal game on Saturday will feature the 4-1 Waterloo Warriors and the 3-2 Toronto Varsity Blues.
These two teams met early in the regular season and, despite losing key players Andrew Tai-Pow (Toronto) and Nathan Lee (Markham, Ont.), the Warriors came away with the 9-4 win.
The Warriors dominated the Varsity Blues in women's and mixed doubles, taking all three mixed doubles matches.
Shanza Cirrium (Richmond Hill, Ont.) and Dorothy Liu (Ottawa) took a win in women's double in two straight sets, while Evan McDonald (Brantford, Ont.) and Amanda Carruthers (Mississauga, Ont.), Rahim Karmali (Montreal) and Dorothy Lui (Ottawa), and Danusha Ambagahawita (Mississauga, Ont.) and Ingrid Liu (Vancouver) defeated the Blues in mixed doubles.
Toronto 2008 all-stars Jesse Assing (Bethany, Ont.), Shilin Cheung (Hong Kong) and Melissa Hill (Oakville, Ont.) all returned to the Varsity Blues this season and have been crucial to the team's success.
Cheung and Hill each won their women's singles matches against Waterloo in the regular season, while Cheung also won her women's doubles match alongside Josee Matte (Brantford, Ont.).
History will be on the side of both the Western Mustangs and Waterloo Warriors on Saturday, having faced each other in the last six OUA finals.
2009 OUA BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIP AT YORK UNIVERSITY
Semifinals
York vs. Western – 9:30 a.m.
Toronto vs. Waterloo – 9:30 a.m.
Bronze Medal Match – 1:30 p.m.
OUA Final – 1:30 p.m.
– OUA –
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
For additional information please contact:
Josh Bell-Webster
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: 905.540-5156
Cel: 905.870-9773
Fax: 905.574-2840
E-mail: josh.bellwebster@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
Heather Rollo
Communications Assistant
Ontario University Athletics
E-mail: heather.rollo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
