Women’s Hockey pulls off upset
With just over five minutes remaining in the second period, blue-liner Mary Modeste saw a streaking Janine Davies and hit her with the pass. Davies broke away from the pack, pulled up in front of the net, and rifled a shot to the top right corner. Laurier keeper Morgan Wielgosz’s reaction was too slow, as the puck hit above her outstretched glove, giving the Blues a 1-0 lead.
It would be the only score of the match as host U of T (7-3-1-0) defeated Laurier (10-2-0-0) 1-0 Sunday. The match pitted OUA top and Canadian Interuniversity Sports’ third-ranked team team, the Golden Hawks, against the seventh-ranked Blues.
Though composed through the match, the Blues unraveled at the onset of the third period. After claiming only five penalties in the first forty minutes, U of T notched three in the next five. Thanks to Stephanie Lockert’s sterling performance between the pipes-she saved 24 shots for the Blues-and a tremendous penalty kill that left Laurier 0-9, U of T pulled off the upset.
The game was the final match this year for the Blues. Next up will be second place Guelph (8-3-1-1), who visits Jan. 12.
Blues return home
after routing on road trip
This weekend, Men’s Hockey (9-5) will face-off against Ryerson (1-12) with a home-and-home series before closing for the remainder of the year. They will next host Queen’s on Jan. 5.
It might not be long enough for the Golden Gaels to recoup, as they were demolished 7-1 by visiting U of T Friday. The Blues scored the first five goals, and out-shot Queen’s 43-27 while killing five of six Golden Gael penalties.
Scott Malcolm led U of T with three points, scoring twice in the third period, and Chris Gray also scored twice.
The Blues also shut out host Royal Military College (3-10) 3-0 Sunday, as the Paladins put up 30 shots but were unable to solve U of T keeper Ryan Grinnell. Joe Rand led the Blues with two goals, assisted each time by Alex Nagribianko.
Men’s Basketball
strains for consistency
After U of T dispatched CIS’s eighth-ranked Brock (3-3) 73-59 Friday, Guelph (3-3) posted a 72-71 victory here over the Blues Saturday. Men’s Basketball (3-3) will travel to Waterloo (2-4) Friday before closing the season for the year at Laurier (3-3). The Blues will be back in action Jan. 5 at first-place Carleton (6-0).
Guelph’s victory was thanks in part to their torrid first-half shooting, as they led U of T 41- 34 at the half. The Gryphons notched eleven threes in the game, and were able to hold off the Blues who came clawing back in the second half, to no avail.
U of T was led by Mike DeGiorgio’s 19 points, and Mike Williams’ 17-point, eight rebound performance helped the Blues keep pace with Guelph, to no avail.
Hosting Brock, U of T was able to claim victory by holding the Badgers’ shooting to 33 per cent from the field. Ben Katz led the Blues with his 15-point, seven rebound, four assist performance.
Blues hit the road
to get back on track
After dropping two at home, Women’s Basketball (3-4) will hit the bus hoping to get their season back on track.
U of T travels to Waterloo (4-4) Friday before closing the year at Laurier (2-6) Sunday. They will pick up the action Jan. 5 at Carleton (1-5).
The Blues were defeated 55-71 by Guelph Saturday. The Gryphons held U of T’s shooting to 33 per cent from the field, and out-rebounded the Blues 52-35.
Friday, the Blues fared better, but were still unable to claim victory, as CIS’ sixth-ranked Brock (7-1) defeated U of T 77-72.
Christine Cho led the Blues with 20 points, but the Badgers’ shot 60 per cent from three-point land, notching 27 points behind the arc en route to the win.
Water Polo dominates
en route to three-peat
Behind ten goals from Sean McGhie and Jake Pottier, and a trifecta from Cagri Ilhan, U of T (11-1) defeated McMaster (8-3) 17-10 Sunday to take the Ontario University Athletic Championship. The title is their third straight.
With Queen’s hosting the Blues opened the final match with the game’s first four goals, and had six players notch tallies. While Marauder David Jones netted four, the Blues allowed only three other McMaster players to score to take U of T’s 23rd Water Polo banner. With the win, the team avenged their only defeat of the season, an 8-5 loss at McMaster Nov. 10.
The Blues also obliterated York (4-6) 19-2 in the semifinal, as McGhie put up another five goals. Seven U of T players would find themselves in the books, while only one Lion, Jordan Duffield, prevented the shutout.
