For the second consecutive season, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues defeated the McMaster Marauders to claim the National Collegiate Water Polo (NCWP) championship title.
 
The Blues topped the Marauders 11-2 on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 26) to win their fifth straight provincial banner. Toronto claimed last year's inaugural NCWP title after winning the OUA title for the previous three seasons.
 
U of T earned their spot in Sunday's gold-medal match following a dominant 13-3 win over Ottawa in semi-final action yesterday.
 
Fifth-year veteran Ana Miroslavic was named the NCWP Championship MVP, while sophomore netminder Rachael Jaffe earned most valuable goaltender honours. Alexandra Kraft and Kassie Fraser were both named NCWP all-stars.  
 
The Blues lost the opening swim-off but promptly stole the ball at mid-pool and scored on the counterattack to open the scoring. 
 
By the end of the first quarter the team had worked its way to a 4-0 lead. 
 
In the second quarter, the Blues quickly popped in a couple of more goals before conceding a late goal on the penalty kill to end up with a 6-1 halftime advantage.
 
The Blues vaunted defence again shut out the Marauders attack as Jaffe  (Irvine, California) turned aside everything fired her way.  At the other end, the Blues popped in three more goals to go ahead 9-1 entering the final frame.
 
Miroslavic  (Toronto) led all scorers with a hat trick.  Kraft  (Rancho Santa Margarita, California), Fraser  (Vancouver) and Rhianna Wood  (Calgary) each tallied a pair of goals while Caitlyn Tiedje  (Calgary) and Anya Mysak  (Vancouver) added singles. 

"The fact that we only gave up three goals and then two goals says that our defence was playing according to what we wanted them to do," said head coach George Gross Jr., underlining the role the team's strong recruitment process has played in its performance. "They stuck to the strategy and that's important to any team concept."
 
MAJOR AWARDS
Most Valuable Player – Ana Miroslavic – Toronto Varsity Blues
Most Valuable Goaltender – Rachael Jaffe – Toronto Varsity Blues
Coach of the Year – Andy Duffield – McMaster Marauders
 
ALL-STARS
Caitlin Neapole – Queen's University
Danielle Hirsch – University of Ottawa
Rachel Howes – Carleton University
Jordan Brydges – McMaster University
Jillian Stringer – McMaster University
Kassie Fraser – University of Toronto
Alexandra Kraft – University of Toronto


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