he Varsity Blues women’s hockey team lost 6-0 to Wilfred Laurier’s Golden Hawks on Halloween, while their game against Waterloo the next day was postponed due to several members of the opposing team coming down with the H1N1 virus. Laurier gained a solid lead in the first period, scoring four points on goalie Shayna Moor, who was replaced by first-year Melissa Muir for the remaining two periods. The Blues third goalie, second-year Kendyl Valenta, was out due to a broken collarbone.
Hawks forward Vanessa Schabkar opened scoring at 3:44 with an intercepted Toronto pass, followed minutes later by first-year Paula Lagamba’s shot placing the Hawks in the lead 2-0. Second-year Hawk Caitlyn Muirhead would score again at 12:40, with fourth-year Laura Bartolini cementing Laurier’s 4-0 lead with a wrap-around goal.
Toronto came very close to scoring throughout the second and third periods, but just couldn’t get past the Canadian Interuniversity Sport number-two team and their goalie Liz Knox. Melissa Muir similarly accomplished many admirable saves, but could not stem two goals in the second and third periods. Third-year Katherine Shirriff scored the second period’s lone goal off a pass from teammate Kaley Powers. In the third period, Brittany Crago made the last goal of the game at 4:33, leaving the score at 6-0.
Overall it was an intense and spirited game, with many penalties and collisions on both sides. In the third period, forward Amanda Fawn had a painful encounter with a puck, which hit her arm and bruised her wrist. She was removed from the ice. Head coach Karen Hughes assured that Fawn was fine, commenting approvingly that she did at least block the shot.
The Blues would have played the Waterloo Warriors the next day, except two Warriors came down with H1N1. The game has been postponed, along with the Warriors’ match against the York Lions, which would have also been on Halloween. Coach Hughes said the team will take their usual health precautions, though she commented that she is pleased the match was postponed. “You have to be careful,” she said. “Use your own water bottle, don’t share towels. Same as everybody else.”
As for game performance, Hughes commented: “We outshot them today. […] We just didn’t take advantage of our opportunities.” The Blues will travel to St. Catharines to play Brock on Saturday. The next home game will be against Guelph on Nov. 8 at 4 p.m.
