CIS Blackberry Top Ten
The Pronghorns were one of many teams to hold on to their No. 1 spot this week in CIS national rankings along with McGill (women) and Alberta (men) in hockey, Alberta (women) and StFX (men) in soccer, Laval (women) and Alberta (men) in volleyball, and Guelph in men’s cross-country running.
The only team to drop out of first place following last weekend’s results were the McMaster Marauders, who fall to No. 2 behind Guelph in women’s cross country.
Women’s rugby
Ranked No. 1 since the start of the season, Lethbridge beat No. 10 UBC 36-7 in the semi-final round and No. 5 Alberta 18-5 in the gold-medal final at the Canada West championship played on its home turf to claim the conference title and advance to the CIS tournament, schedule for Nov. 4 to 7 at Trent University. The Horns are three-time defending CIS champions.
Also qualified for the six-team CIS tourney are host Trent as well as No. 2 Guelph and No. 6 Queen’s, who will meet in the OUA final on Saturday. No. 4 Concordia and No. 7 Laval will battle for the sole Quebec berth on Friday night, while No. 3 StFX will face Acadia for the only AUS spot on Sunday.
Women’s hockey
The No. 1 McGill Martlets improved to 2-0 in conference play last Wednesday thanks to a 5-2 win over Montreal. McGill, which claimed CIS silver a year ago after capturing back-to-back national titles in 2009 and 2008, also played a pair of exhibition games against NCAA opponents over the past week, edging Dartmouth 3-2 and tying Harvard 2-2.
Men’s hockey
The No. 1 Alberta Golden Bears, CIS finalists last season, moved to 5-1 in Canada West play with a pair of high-scoring victories over Lethbridge, 8-2 and 9-6.
Women’s soccer
The No. 1 Alberta Pandas (10-0-2) remained the lone undefeated team in Canada West as they picked up four out of a possible six points on the road with a 4-1 defeat of Lethbridge and a 1-1 draw against Calgary. The Pandas face quite a challenge this weekend as the Canada West regular season comes to an end. They host No. 9 Trinity Western (7-3-2) and No. 10 UBC (7-4-1).
Men’s soccer
The StFX X-Men (10-0-1) remain at No. 1 despite dropping their first points of the regular season last week. The X-Men, who will close out conference play this weekend against Acadia and No. 8 Saint Mary’s (7-2-2), settled for a scoreless draw at Dalhousie (5-3-3) last Friday night before rebounding on Sunday with a 4-0 shutout of Cape Breton.
Women’s volleyball
The No. 1 Laval Rouge et Or, who didn’t take the court last week, open the regular season at home this weekend with four interlock contests versus AUS rivals. The reigning CIS bronze medallists will face StFX on Friday, Cape Breton and Acadia on Saturday, and Dalhousie on Sunday.
Men’s volleyball
The No. 1 Alberta Golden Bears captured the Dino Cup in Calgary over the last weekend. Following a preliminary round to defending national champion Calgary (3-1), the Bears defeated Brigham Young from the NCAA and Saskatchewan to reach the final, where they downed the Dinos in straight sets. The reigning CIS bronze medallists enjoy a rest this weekend before opening the regular season against UBC in Vancouver on Nov. 5-6.
Cross country
For the first time this season, the Guelph Gryphons, five-time defending CIS champions in women’s competition and four-time reigning champs on the men’s side, lead both CIS rankings. The OUA championships take place on Saturday on their home turf in Guelph.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
1. Guelph
2. McMaster
3. Victoria
4. Calgary
5. Western Ontario
T6. Alberta
T6. Queen’s
8. McGill
9. Dalhousie
10. Lakehead
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
1. Guelph
2. Windsor
3. Calgary
4. Victoria
5. Western Ontario
6. Queen’s
7. Regina
8. McMaster
9. Alberta
10. Toronto
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
1. McGill
2. Laurier
3. Alberta
4. StFX
5. Manitoba
6. Guelph
7. Windsor
8. Montreal
9. Regina
10. Saskatchewan
MEN’S HOCKEY
1. Alberta
2. McGill
3. UNB
4. StFX
5. Saint Mary’s
6. Western Ontario
7. Saskatchewan
8. Manitoba
9. Concordia
10. Calgary
Other teams receiving votes: Carleton (16), Wilfrid Laurier (13), Lakehead (7), Acadia (6), Moncton (6), Regina (2).
WOMEN’S RUGBY
1. Lethbridge
2. Guelph
3. StFX
4. Concordia
5. Alberta
6. Queen’s
7. Laval
8. McMaster
9. Waterloo
10. UBC
Other teams receiving votes: McGill (3), Acadia (2), Victoria (2), Ottawa (1).
WOMEN’S SOCCER
1. Alberta
2. Montreal
3. Queen’s
4. McGill
5. Wilfrid Laurier
6. Ottawa
7. Dalhousie
8. UPEI
9. Trinity Western
10. UBC
MEN’S SOCCER
1. StFX
2. Laval
3. York
4. Alberta
6. Toronto
7. Western Ontario
8. Saint Mary’s
9. UQAM
10. Carleton
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
1. Laval
2. Manitoba
3. Alberta
T4. Brandon
T4. Montreal
6. Calgary
7. UBC
8. Trinity Western
9. Winnipeg
10. Guelph
Also receiving votes (11th-15th): Saskatchewan (22), Saint Mary’s (17), Regina (13), Dalhousie (10), Queen’s (5).
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
1. Alberta
2. Laval
3. Trinity Western
4. Brandon
5. Calgary
6. Western Ontario
7. Manitoba
8. Dalhousie
9. Queen’s
10. UNB