Banner Season: Past year’s podium finishers remain perfect through round robin play
Kingston, Ont. (via Queen’s Gaels) – The defending champions, Queen’s Gaels, 2022 OUA silver medalists, Trent Excalibur, and 2022 OUA bronze medalists, Western Mustangs, kept their records clean heading into Sunday’s playoff round. The Mustangs secured the top playoff seed and will take on the Toronto Varsity Blues (1-1) in the semifinals, with the Excalibur and Gaels taking the second and third seeds respectively, and meeting in the semifinals Sunday.
BROCK [2] VS TORONTO [19]
Opening the second day of round robin play, the Brock Badgers faced off against the Varsity Blues. The Blues achieved their first tournament win 19-2.
In the highest scoring game of the day, the Blues started off with a point from Mary Frost, finding the back of the net three minutes into the game. Toronto’s Rylin Cormier also found the net soon after.
Cormier went on to get six additional points during the match and came out of the game as the point leader.
With Rheanna Swanson adding two more in the last few moments of the first, Toronto led 4-0 heading into the second.
The Blues started the second with the same momentum, scoring a goal 20 seconds in from Lillian Brooks. Cormier, Frost, and Swanson also added goals for the Blues, further separating the score to 13-0.
The Badgers put up a strong fight but were unable to dull Toronto’s drive. A well called time out from Brock’s coach Vince Longboat failed to change the tides, with Cormier putting up another point moments after.
The Blues impressive offensive efforts, paired with several saves from their goalie Elizabeth McDonald, prevented the Badgers from scoring all through the first half.
Brock obtained their first point of the game deep in the third with a goal from Mackenzie Shigwadja. Kennedy Smith also contributed to the Badger’s score, also finding the back of the net in the third.
Toronto put up six additional goals in the second half, finishing off the game with a point from Alexei Dorkis-Dupuis. With the win, they improved their record to 1-1
GUELPH [9] VS MCMASTER [8]
The Guelph Gryphons also captured their first win of the tournament early on Saturday, taking on the McMaster Marauders and defeating them 9-8.
Guelph’s Megan Latoski racked up four points, matched by McMaster’s Annika Perrina.
The Marauders started off strong with a point in the first 30 seconds from Rachel Homes. Guelph responded quickly, picking up a goal from Jessica Thomas. After another goal from Latoski, McMaster tied up the game with a point from Perrina.
The Marauders dominated the second and third quarter. With a strong defensive presence and goals from Perrina and Cassidy Anyon, they extended their lead to 8-4
In the fourth quarter, Guelph found their stride. They proved that the game wasn’t over yet with Peyton Curtis hitting the top of the net, bringing the score to 8-5. From there, they were unstoppable. Several Guelph efforts closed the gap. With McMaster only finding the net once in the fourth, the Gryphons grew close to tying up the game.
With a final push, Guelph brough the game to 8-8 with 44 seconds left. A last goal from Latoski at 22 seconds secured them the victory.
QUEEN’S [17] VS ONTARIO TECH [4]
In the next match up of the day, the host Gaels secured their second victory of the OUA championship round robin with a win over the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks.
Ontario Tech’s Jailyn Joensen had a standout game, scoring all the team’s points. From the Gaels, both Brooke Rutledge and Charlotte Sawicki walked away from the game with hat tricks.
The game started with a back and forth between the Gaels and the Ridgebacks. Summer Thomas got the Gaels on the scoreboard before Kiara McKelvey continued their efforts. Joensen put up points for Ontario Tech in the first, finding the back of the net twice.
The Gaels pulled ahead at the end of the second, after a timeout called by head coach Mike Watson. Several plays based on team communication helped build their momentum. They fired several more into the net, finishing the first half 9-4.
Queens built up their lead through out the second half. Rutledge pushed through the defence to add another goal to the Gaels score. With goals from Tara Meikle, Callyn O’Blenes, and Avery Ludlow, the point gap increased.
Joensen was able to pickup one more goal for the Ridgebacks, bringing the final score to 17-4.
With the win, the Gaels head into Sunday’s playoffs 2-0.
TRENT [17] VS BROCK [3]
The Trent Excalibur came out of the round robin with a 2-0 record after challenging the Badgers in the fourth game of the day.
Trent took charge of the game right of the bat. In the first 30 seconds Tegan Hickey found the net. They secured another goal soon after with an effort from Tyler McDonald.
Trent took charge of the first half firing off many more attempts on goal, with eight of them landing true.
Despite various attempts, the Badgers were unable to put any numbers on the scoreboard during the first half, leaving the Excalibur leading 8-0 heading into the third.
Early the third, the Badgers found the net for the first time, with a goal from Mackenzie Shigwadja. Kennedy Smith also added another point for the Badgers seconds later, with a big drive to the net.
Trent replied with a goal of their own from Grace Shaughnessy. Evidently, Trent had found their grove. They added six more points aided by Belle Shawe, Jocelyn Whent and McDonald. Their relentless attack on net proved them well, as they exited the third with 14 goals.
Finishing off strong, Trent continued increasing the score with McDonald knocking another one in to take down the Badgers 18-3. With the goal, McDonald walked away the point leader of the game, scoring six for the Excalibur.
WESTERN [18] VS MCMASTER [3]
The Western Mustangs and McMaster Marauders closed out round robin play, with the Mustangs taking down the Marauders 18-3.
The match started with a stalemate, neither team able to find a point. It was broken by Western’s Quinn Kolwich who took the first goal of the game.
The Marauders got their own first goal off a pass from behind the net to Annika Perrina who flicked it in. McMaster’s Cassidy Anyon also got another to find the back of the net to tie up the score 2-2
Western’s Lexi Oelisle fired off another goal in the second and extended on their advantage with an additional point from Kolwich. Then, the Mustangs went on a run, accruing three more points. They lead 7-2 going into the second half.
At the beginning of the third, the Marauders added one more to their score with Perrina sinking the ball into the net. Western fired back only moments later with a goal from Taya Keast.
The Mustangs snatched up an additional 10 points in the second half, aided by their dynamic passing which beat the Marauders defense.
With the win Western heads into Sunday’s playoffs in the Number 1 seed.