The University of Toronto and the Varsity Blues intercollegiate program are honoured to be hosting this year’s 2008 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) field hockey championship, Oct. 24-26 at Varsity Centre.
Three days of intense field hockey action begins Friday afternoon when the York University Lions take on the University of Waterloo Warriors at 1p.m. Following that, the University of Western Ontario Mustangs face off against the Atlantic University Sports (AUS) representative Saint Mary’s Huskies.
At stake is the coveted OUA champion title as well as two berths to the 2008 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Field Hockey Championship. This year’s national event is taking place Oct. 30 - Nov. 2 at the University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C.
As a result of a top-two finish in the regular season, the host Varsity Blues (12-0-2) and Guelph Gryphons (10-1-3) have earned a bye into Saturday’s semi-final round. Guelph’s only loss of the season was against the Blues, a 2-1 decision on Oct. 10. Both teams also played to a 2-2 tie on Sept. 27.
Toronto’s last OUA loss came on Oct. 28, 2007 in last season’s OUA final. Guelph won that game 2-1. However, the Varsity Blues are the defending national champions, having defeated Gryphons 2-1 in overtime. The Blues are looking to reclaim the OUA crown they last won in 2006, while the Gryphons are looking for consecutive OUA titles for the first time in school history.
The defending champion Gryphons are led by CIS scoring leader Brienne Stairs (Kitchener, Ont.) and runner-up Krissy Wishart (Hamilton, Ont.). The duo scored a combined 36 goals in OUA action this season, and will have to be kept in check if Guelph is to be dethroned. Angela Lancaster (Burlington, Ont.) is also in the Top 5 in OUA goal scorers with nine tallies.
The Varsity Blues look to challenge with a well-balanced attack. Blues forward Rianna Sterk (Embro, Ont.) led the team with 12 goals, while 2007 OUA and CIS Player of the Year Cailie O’Hara (Oakville, Ont.) and Kristen Shier (North Vancouver, B.C.) knocked in eight goals each. Kyesia O’Neale (Mississauga, Ont.) has scored seven goals, while Briar Rodgers (St. Catharines) and Shannon Treacy (Burlington, Ont.) have hit the back of the net six times.
The Lions are looking for a third straight win over the Warriors in the first game of the weekend. York defeated Waterloo 1-0 and 3-2 earlier this season. Leanne Kelly (Newmarket, Ont.) scored two goals against the Warriors, while Meghan Bester (Waterloo, Ont.) returned the favour with two goals against the Lions in regular season play. The winner of this game will play Toronto in the first semi-final game on Saturday.
Western will host Saint Mary’s in the other Friday game. Western is led by Elsbeth Tate (Richmond, B.C.) who scored eight goals in 13 games during the regular season. The Huskies will counter with AUS rookie of the year Mandy Avery (Halifax, N.S.) and Emily Beazley (Halifax, N.S.), who scored six goals each in AUS play. The winner will play Guelph in the other semi-final.
The winners of both semi-finals matches will advance to the OUA final as well as the CIS field hockey championship.
The 2008 OUA Field Hockey Championship is presented by Harrow Sports Canada and T. Litzen Sports Ltd.
OUA FIELD HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP
OUA Quarterfinals – October 24, 2008
1 p.m. Waterloo vs. York
3 p.m. Western vs. Saint Mary's
OUA Semifinals – October 25, 2008
10 a.m. Placement game (quarter-final losers)
12 p.m. Waterloo/York vs. Toronto
2 p.m. Western/Saint Mary’s vs. Guelph
OUA Finals – October 26, 2008
10 a.m. OUA Bronze Medal
12 p.m. OUA Final
