VICTORIA - The UBC Thunderbirds women's field hockey team is one of three teams to visit the island this week. The Vikes will also host the men's soccer and women's rugby team this weekend but it is the battle of the BC powerhouse field hockey teams that will kick-off the weekend. On Oct. 15 and Oct. 16, the Vikes women's field hockey team will have their first home double header against UBC and will be looking to steal some points in a desperate attempt to qualify for the 2011 CIS National Championships. Both games will take place at 11 a.m.
ROSTER /
SCHEDULE /
CURRENT STANDINGS
After losing 2-1 and 3-0 to the Alberta Pandas this past weekend, the Vikes must climb the ranks after dropping to a 2-6 conference record. Kelowna-native and freshman #
Marisa Davidson# was the lone goal scorer and currently leads the Vikes with a total of two goals. This weekend the Vikes were without senior goalie #
Kaitlyn Williams#, as she left for Mexico to compete for Canada in the 2011 Pan American Games. Rookie keeper #
Leah Farnan# will be called upon for the remainder of the season along with veteran defenders #
Kyla Kirby# and #
Carly Krestanovich#.
The Vikes are currently at the bottom of the pool and need to climb to second place ahead of the Alberta Pandas in order to qualify for the CIS National Championships. On Oct. 1, the Vikes shocked the T-Birds at home, defeating them 3-0 thanks to a stellar performance by Williams and goals by #
Courtney Low#, #
Emily Fisher# and #
Courtney Ellis#. The Birds would then retaliate and defeat the Vikes 2-1 on Oct. 2.
Though the Vikes are without Williams, the UBC T-Birds are also short a few key players due to the Pan American games. UBC must travel to the island without the strengths of 2009 CIS Rookie of the Year and Team Canada stand out
Abigail Raye, as well as junior and senior national team members
Sara McManus and
Natalie Sourisseau. Despite the losses, the Birds currently house the conference's lead goal scorer
Robyn Pendleton, who has netted an impressive five goals in eight games. Pendleton is backed by keeper
Bea Francisco who has helped the Birds remain in first place with a current 5-2-1 standing. Last weekend, the Birds downed the Calgary Dinos 3-2 but on Sunday, the Dinos climbed back from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game 4-4.
SCOUTING THE VIKES:
Last Meeting vs. UBC: Oct. 2, 2011 L 1-2
2010 Conference Record: 6-4-2 (2nd) CW, 2-3-0 (4th) CIS
Last Canada West Title: 2002
Last CIS Title: 2008
Head Coach: Lynne Beecroft, enters her 28th season
Key Returnees: D #
Jasleen Aujla#, M #
Courtney Ellis#, D #
Kyla Kirby#, D #
Carly Krestanovich#, F #
Courtney Low#, F #
Whitney Siegmann#. GK #
Kaitlyn Williams#
Key Additions: G #
Leah Farnan#, F #
Marisa Davidson#, M #
Emily Fisher#, D #
Sam Purcell#, F #
Alana Carswell#
Key Departures: F #
Katie Bennett#, D #
Perri Espeseth#, M #
Danielle Hennig#, F #
Gillian Wright#
SCOUTING THE THUNDERBIRDS:
2010 Conference Record: 9-1-2 (1st)
Last CW Title: 2010
Last CIS Title: 2009
2010 CIS Ranking: 2nd
Head Coach: Hash Kanjee
Key additions: M Abigail Raye, D Sara McManus, F Sarah Keglowitsch, M Katrina Waldron, F Molly Driscoll, M Robyn Pendleton
Key returnees: M Kirsten Bertsch, D Caitlin Evans, D Miranda Mann, M Natalie Sourisseau, M Poonam Sandhu, GK Bea Francisco
Key departures: M Sarah MacAulay, F Victoria Perason, F Kira Graham
