Banner Season: Blues outlast conference's top-seeded Lions to find field hockey gold
Toronto, Ont. (via Toronto Varsity Blues) - The No. 1 nationally ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues field hockey team claimed their 32nd OUA Championship banner on Saturday (Oct. 28) afternoon, defeating the No. 3 York Lions in a championship final shootout.
"From day one in the preseason I had a feeling this team would do something special," said Varsity Blues head coach Cassius Mendonca. "Last weekend with the OUA semifinal shootout win, followed by today with the OUA Championship shootout win, it is icing on the cake. It was a great win for this young team that has focused on the process all season long, and like with every challenge we have faced, they again passed with flying colours."
U of T returned to the top of the podium after last claiming gold in 2021, earning with the Saturday victory both a berth and the right to host the 2023 U SPORTS National Championship next weekend.
In the championship final showdown at York, the Blues and Lions proved exactly why they were the top two teams in the province, stalemating each other throughout the entirety of regulation and overtime. Opportunities were present for both sides, with Toronto finding chances on goal via several penalty stroke attempts. As for York's offensive pursuits, the Lions were turned aside on every occasion by the stellar play of Toronto goalie Deepi Gill.
After neither team was able to solve the other through four quarters of regulation and two overtime periods, the Blues found themselves once again in a shootout scenario. In goal, Gill proved to be up for the task, making three stops on four Lions shooters. As for the offensive players, the Blues saw McKinley Kennedy, Rebecca Carvalho, Alicia Lung, and Molly Cooper-Gray all successfully score on their shootout attempts to dispatch of the Lions 4-1 in the championship final shootout.
"We are now setting our sights on the upcoming challenge - the U SPORTS National Championship," noted Mendonca. "With the OUA Championship under our belt, our team is more motivated than ever to showcase their talent on the national stage. We are committed to giving our best performance, aiming for nothing less than excellence in the upcoming series."
The Blues will now welcome the Victoria Vikes to Toronto for a best-of-three national championship series. As the No. 1 nationally ranked team in the country heading into the field hockey playoffs, the Blues earned the right to host their U SPORTS counterparts at Back Campus Fields for all three contests which are scheduled for this coming weekend. Game 1 is set for Friday, Nov. 3, to be followed each day as necessary. Further championship details will follow.
