Top-seeded Lions look to derail Varsity Blues hopes of fourth straight title
BURLINGTON, Ont. - After earning their third consecutive OUA championship in 2016, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues will go for the four-peat this weekend, as York University is set to host championship action.
Details surrounding the event can be found in the 2017 Field Hockey Championships Fan Guide.
If the Blues want to stretch their championship reign to four, they’ll need to do so in unfamiliar territory. For the first time since their gold medal streak began, the Blues will enter championship weekend without at least a share of the regular season’s top seed, and with the likes of the York Lions and Guelph Gryphons looking primed for lengthy runs, the 2017 OUA Field Hockey Championships are shaping up to be must-see action.
Despite finishing the season in third place, the Varsity Blues still boast a championship-caliber roster. Highlighting the talent-laden crew is forward Anna Costanzo, who spurred on the U of T offence with an incredible first-year campaign. The third-ranked scorer in the OUA tied for the team lead in goals with six, matching the mark of second-year standout Emily Ziraldo. The two young stars will also be joined by talented veterans Taylor Fleck and Megan Johansen, who finished the season with five and four goals, respectively.
In the midfield, it is 2016 U SPORTS Rookie of the Year, Rachel Spouge, who provides a strong defensive presence, and along with third-year defensive stalwart Julia Costanzo and Canadian women’s junior development team goalie Elizabeth O’Hara (who also earned U SPORTS All-Star honours at last year’s nationals), will be an imposing back end presence for the Blues opposition.
The late season run, which included a five-game unbeaten streak in which they outscored opponents 18-2, buoyed Toronto to a third place finish in the OUA, matching them up with sixth-place McGill in an opening quarterfinal showdown.
Perhaps proving to be the biggest threat to the Blues is the host York Lions, who topped the regular season standings with a record of 11-1. One of the highlights of this impressive campaign, chipping in to their league best goal-differential (+45), was the team’s win over the aforementioned Blues – their first since 1999 in regular season play. The Lions’ year has been filled with impressive accomplishments, not the least of which is their first No. 1 regular season finish since 1994, but at the heart of their success is newcomer Jaslan Stirling.
Stirling came onto the scene in a big way this season, jumping head first into a pool of talented OUA players across the board. In leading her team to the top seed, Stirling managed to top the conference in scoring, while also earning OUA and U SPORTS Athlete of the Week honours along the way. Stirling finished off her impressive rookie campaign in fine form – notching five goals in her team’s finale – bringing her total to 19 for the season. Another trio of Lions (including two fellow rookies) was also able to make a splash in this season, as first-year players Frankie St. Louis and Madison Mitchell, along with Montana Merrante, also finished the season ranked in the top-10 in scoring.
Finishing in the second spot, with their only loss coming to the top-seeded Lions, are the Guelph Gryphons (8-1-3). The Gryphons were able to avenge that early season loss by handing York their only blemish on the season, and actually used their defeat to spark a solid end to the campaign. The team went an impressive 6-0-1 after falling to York – outscoring opponents 28-3 during that stretch – thanks in large part to the play of second-year midfielder Kayla Magarelli.
Magarelli, who finished second in the league in scoring, converted to forward in the second half of the season due to a season-ending injury to teammate Katherine MacMillan (who was third in the country in scoring last year). Magarelli certainly had some big shoes to fill, but was able to perform extremely well in the clutch to help Guelph secure the No. 2 ranking. Other key players that will help the Gryphons in their quest for a title are third-year forwards Alice Stubbings and Olivia Finch, second-year midfielders Danielle Crumpton and Kendra Puttick, and fifth-year goalie Morgan Kelley.
This potent lineup will open their tournament in quarterfinal action against the Waterloo Warriors, who enter play as the No. 7 seed. Settling for just one win this season, the team struggled to do much on the offensive end, tallying just nine goals on the season (while surrendering a league-high 60). One bright spot for the Warriors heading into this final weekend, however, is fifth-year Jennifer Mead, who was at the heart of the team’s offence this season and will be looking to lead her squad to an upset or two this weekend.
Queen’s, despite finishing in the fourth position, enter the championships with a sub-.500 record. This is thanks in large part to the Gaels collecting just one win in their first six matches, but a bounce back second half in their 50th anniversary season has the team looking primed for a playoff push. Overall, the Tricolour ranked middle of the pack in both goals for (26) and against (18) this season, but should provide steady competition at this year’s final event.
One of the reasons that the Gaels will offer a formidable presence on the championship stage is midfielder Ciara Morrison, who tallied three goals in the final six matches. Combined with first-year forward Jacinta Mallon, the duo will help the Tricolour compete for a medal, starting with their first round match with Western.
Western, the reigning OUA bronze medalists, will enter as the No. 5 seed, after a tough 3-7-2 record on the year. Not to be outdone, their 2016 regular season also left a lot to be desired heading into their bronze-winning championship weekend, so hope is not lost for the Mustangs’ title aspirations.
The Mustangs lack the scoring punch that the other top teams boast, as Western’s top-scorer – Brigid Sterling (4) – comes in outside the OUA’s top-10. Despite their modest 13 tallies on the season, however, the team does boast one of the province’s top goalkeepers in Marielle Fernback, who consistently gives her squad a shot at the win when she steps between the pipes. There were few instances that saw the Mustangs being truly out of contention on the scoreboard, and this gritty, never-say-die type of mindframe may very well propel the Mustangs to yet another podium finish.
McGill, similar to Western, only managed three wins on the season, but it is their highest win total in seven years, dating back to the 2011 season when they posted a 5-6-1 record. The Martlets will undoubtedly be looking to build on their most recent victory – a 4-3 win over their first round opponent, Toronto. The key for McGill is their offence, which struggled in the early part this season. In each of the three occasions that the team was able to tally more than one goal, however, they picked up the victory. Backing their efforts on both the offensive and defensive sides will be a talented roster that includes standouts Constanza Martinez-Ramirez and Breeshey Roskams-Hieter.
Rounding out the field for this weekend’s championships are the McMaster Marauders, who enter the open championship format looking to upset the No. 1 seeded Lions in their opening quarterfinal match. One individual who will play a significant role in McMaster’s championship aspirations is veteran Alicia Ruggerio. One of the Marauders predominant scoring threats, which included a pair of goals in the team’s victory over Laurier at Toronto’s event this fall, Ruggerio will look to spark a similar performance on the biggest stage.
The action starts on Friday, October 27, with the first quarterfinal match taking place at 9:00 am, and will close on Sunday, October 29 with the gold medal match. Each day will see four games of action, with final medal presentations and awards taking place after the completion of Sunday’s championship.
