The Varsity Blues women’s water polo team made it look easy against the Queen’s Golden Gaels. On Nov. 9, the Blues played two gruelling games to end the regular season. The Blues, playing at home in the Athletic Centre, wrapped up their last match of the season with fl air and steady confidence. Their 14-13 win over the OUA championship contending Carleton Ravens earlier that day gave the team momentum. In the following game against the Gaels, they maintained a seven-goal lead throughout the second half.
The Blues managed to hit most of their dry passes with dangerous efficiency, with an offence that had no problem penetrating the Gaels goal zone. They displayed physical dominance over Queen’s up front and in the mid-zone in the first half. Toronto scored from the middle when pressed back, expertly coordinating their passing game. The Blues’ defence was sharp, limiting any possible Queen’s counter-attack or offensive turn. Toronto kept ahead by at least five goals in the first half, giving the opposition no time to recover from their attack. The second half of the game saw a consistent and unshaken Toronto continue to play the same solid defence. Yet the Gaels managed to bolster their defence in stemming a fl urry of goals by stepping up their physical game and player marking.
Toronto scored a decisive 14-6 victory over the Golden Gaels with Casey Pottier and Nicole Brown leading the Blues’ scoring board with three goals each. The victory marked the end of the Blues’ successful 2008 season where they finished with seven wins and only one loss in their first game of the season against Carleton. The team will now prepare for the 2008 OUA Water Polo Championship at Carleton University on Nov. 22 and 23.
