Women’s Ice Hockey
Grade: B
The women’s hockey team was looking to climb the final precipice on the road to national gold this season. But, after a heartbreaking overtime defeat last year, their plans quickly crumbled after a disappointing provincial (OUA) championship.
After a near-perfect season (the team had one regular season loss to Queen’s), the Blues were derailed by the Laurier Golden Hawks during their OUA semi-final match. The Blues lost 4-3, after only managing 17 shots on goal. The bright spot in the game was Bree Kruklis, who had a goal and an assist in the contest.
The defeat meant that the team did not advance to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Championships (CIS) for the first time since 1997-the first year for national women’s hockey championships at a university level.
The team was a strong blend of talented veterans, such as the standout Jenny McRae, and a wealth of first year talent that will be looking to avenge their early exit at the OUA championships in ’04 with a strong performance in 2005. However, this year the women did not live up to their own expectations of a CIS berth.
Matt Somers
Field Hockey
Grade: B+
Another team with an almost flawless regular season, and another team that was trumped early in the playoffs. U of T’s field hockey team is one of the best and most consistent in the country, sweeping the provincial championships from 1997-2001. Hampered by the lack of a proper playing surface, and forced to shuttle around the city for their own home games, the Blues put up fantastic numbers all season long-dropping only one match to Queen’s mid-autumn. Going into the provincials this fall, playing on their inadequate but home turf, they hit an early snag in the semi-finals and were sidelined from the Canadian national championships by old rivals Waterloo in a gripping penalty shoot-out situation. Veterans Philippa Kedgley and Alex Chacinski anchored the team, helped along the way by standout rookie Kristina DoRosario and stellar net-minding by Sarah Lipton. This could have been an A triple-plus team, if only the chips had fallen in the right place.
Rebecca Addelman
Football
Grade for 2003 season: D
Grade for off-season program: C+
The 2003 edition of the Varisty Blues football team shared a lot with its recent predecessors, on the field. An anemic offence, coupled with a defence about as aggressive as a razor-burn, combined to score quite near a record low in points, while giving up a record high to the opposition. This resulted in the team’s third 0-8 season in five years. However, with new coach Steve Howlett firmly moulding both the influx of new faces on staff, and the exodus of old faces on the roster, things could turn around quickly in the next twelve months for the “Bad News Blues.” The overall on-field product should improve after another year of practice under the new coaching and following a strong recruiting year. All told, the Blues could optimistically be ready to compete in the suddenly-competitive OUA. However, answers need to be found at several key positions, and the severe lack of size and experience along both sides of the line of scrimmage looks to hinder the Blues’ growth for the fast-approaching 2004 season. A strong showing at pro camps by Blues player Derek Wheeler could work wonders for an already rejuvenated recruiting effort.
Russ Hoff
Men’s Volleyball
Grade: B+
Once again, by U of T standards, this team deserves top marks. No other Blues squad draws a bigger or more vocal crowd, and has the charisma to carry it off in style. Despite a couple of shameful losses this season to cross-town rivals Ryerson, the men’s vollyeball team turned it up a notch in playoff time and carried away the provincial championship with ease. Going in to the nationals seeded sixth, the team dropped their first match and wound up slogging their way through the consolation rounds to snag a sixth place finish. Not too shabby, but not what the team-led by first-team all-Canadian Marc Arseneau-was surely intending. A stellar team with great coaching, it’s simply a crying shame that the Blues have not been able to crack the Western provinces’ volleyball domination and clinch a national pennant for U of T.
Rebecca Addelman
