GAME 9: 2009 CIS women’s field hockey championship: UBC heads into final with 4-1 win

VICTORIA (CIS) – The No. 2-seeded UBC Thunderbirds go into the CIS women’s field hockey national final with momentum following a 4-1 win over the No. 4 Toronto Varsity Blues in their round-robin finale, Saturday afternoon at the University of Victoria’s Field Hockey Turf.

The Canada West champion Thunderbirds, who end the preliminary stage atop the standings with a 3-0-1 record and 10 points, had already secured a spot in Sunday’s title match before facing Toronto, which can still advance to the bronze-medal game despite a 1-3-0 mark for three points.

It will mark the T-Birds’ 17th all-time appearance in the national final since the inaugural CIS tournament in 1975 and their first since they captured an 11th McCrae Cup in 2006. UBC currently shares the record for most CIS titles with Victoria.

UBC will face either top-ranked and OUA champion Guelph (1-1-1 – 4 points) or No. 5 Alberta (1-2-0 – 3 points) Sunday at 2 p.m. Pacific. The Gryphons and Pandas face off in the 10th and final round-robin duel Saturday at 4 p.m.

The Thunderbirds scored three goals in the first half to down the Blues, with defender Samantha Smith of Vancouver opening the scoring in the fourth minute of play and Kira Graham of North Vancouver (22nd) and Poonam Sandhu of Vancouver (24th) adding two goals in a span of two minutes in the later stages of the period.

Senior forward Kim Aldridge of Richmond, B.C., rounding out the T-Birds with a late marker in the 68th minute.

Toronto’s lone goal came in the 38th minute from captain and North Vancouver native Kristen Shier, who ranks second in the tournament with three scores.

“We’ve worked really hard and our team’s been playing really well. It’s good going in on a good win too,” said UBC captain Kristyn Harrington.

Harrington, a first-team all-Canadian from West Vancouver, added the team is ready for Sunday’s final. “We’re going to bring it. A lot of us are in our last year so we’re going to empty the tanks because we want this more than anything.”

Sandhu was named player of the game for UBC, while Richmond native Kaelan Watson received the honour for Toronto.

SCORING SUMMARY
UBC: 3-1: 4
Toronto: 0-1: 1

First half
4th, UBC, Samantha Smith (1)
22nd, UBC, Kira Graham (1)
24th, UBC, Poonam Sandhu (2)

Second half
38th, TOR, Kristen Shier (3)
68th, UBC, Kim Aldridge (1)

Goaltenders
UBC: Dina Bulfone (W, 70:00, 1 GA, 3-0-1)
TOR: Samantha Lyzun (L, 70:00, 4 GA, 1-3-0)

Players of the game
UBC: Poonam Sandhu (Vancouver, B.C.)
TOR: Katelan Watson (Richmond, B.C.)

CHAMPIONSHIP SEEDING, STANDINGS & SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL: PACIFIC)

Seeding

1. Guelph Gryphons (OUA champions)
2. UBC Thunderbirds (Canada West champions)
3. Victoria Vikes (second place Canada West)
4. Toronto Varsity Blues (OUA finalists)
5. Alberta Pandas (third place Canada West)

Round-robin standings (after 8 of 10 games)

GP W L T GF GA PTS
1. UBC 4 3 0 1 10 3 10
2. Victoria 4 1 1 2 3 3 5
3. Guelph 3 1 1 1 7 6 4
4. Toronto 4 1 3 0 5 10 3
5. Alberta 3 1 2 0 4 6 3

Thursday, Nov. 5
Round-Robin 1: UBC 3, Guelph 1
Round-Robin 2: Victoria 1, Toronto 0
Round-Robin 3: UBC 3, Alberta 1
Round-Robin 4: Guelph 5, Toronto 2

Friday, Nov. 6
Round-Robin 5: Victoria 0, UBC 0
Round-Robin 6: Toronto 2, Alberta 1
Round-Robin 7: Victoria 1, Guelph 1

Saturday, Nov. 7
Round-Robin 8: Alberta 2, Victoria 1
Round-Robin 9: UBC 4, Toronto 1
16:00 Round-Robin 10: Guelph vs. Alberta
17:30 Tie-Breaking Strokes (if necessary)

Sunday, Nov. 8
10:00 Bronze medal: Victoria vs. TBD
13:00 Championship final: UBC vs. TBD

- CIS -