VICTORIA - The Vikes women's field hockey team will travel to Edmonton to face the University of Alberta Pandas on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9. Both games will take place at 12 p.m. PDT. The Vikes were 1-1 against the Pandas in their home opener Sept. 24 and Sept. 25 and currently sit fourth in Canada West with a 2-4 record.
FULL SCHEDULE /
ROSTER
The Vikes split last weekend with the UBC Thunderbirds, winning 3-0 on Oct. 1 and losing 1-2 on Oct. 2. The past two weekends the Vikes have had national team member #
Kaitlyn Williams# backing them in goal. Williams posted two shut outs and only allowed three goals in her four games but the star keeper will now be leaving the Vikes for Mexico to compete in the 2011 Pan American Games. Without Williams, rookie goalkeeper #
Leah Farnan# will be stepping up to the plate.
In the backfield, the Vikes will continue to rely on the composure of defenders #
Carly Krestanovich# and #
Kyla Kirby#. Rookie defender #
Sam Purcell#'s big hit will also be crucial this weekend, as the Vikes must face another challenge, the rubber-based turf. In preparation for the Edmonton rubber-based surface, the Vikes have moved their training from the water-based turf to the neighbouring soccer fields.
The surface change poses a challenge, as it will change the speed of the game, as well as the ability to perform several skills. The Vikes will look for the distribution and vision from midfielders #
Courtney Ellis# and #
Jasleen Aujla#, as well as some scoring action from co-captains #
Whitney Siegmann# and #
Courtney Low#.
The Alberta Pandas are currently in second place with a 2-2-2 record after drawing both weekend games 1-1 with the Calgary Dinos. The Pandas began their season with a 1-0 home victory over power house UBC Thudnerbirds and since then have been climbing the standings. The Pandas have been steady with veteran keeper
Tory Spencer in the back along with former national squad member and penalty corner specialist
Jackie Trautman, who leads the Pandas with two goals. Rookie midfielder
Alanna Macdonald has been outstanding in the middle of the park thus far and the contributions of veterans
Carly Flemming,
Jennifer Cousineau and
Kincso Santha have also not gone unnoticed.
SCOUTING THE VIKES:
Last Meeting vs. Alberta: Seot. 25, 2011 1-0 W
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#
Key Additions: G #
Leah Farnan#, F #
Marisa Davidson#, M #
Emily Fisher#, D #
Sam Purcell#
Key Departures: F #
Katie Bennett#, D #
Perri Espeseth#, M #
Danielle Hennig#
SCOUTING THE PANDAS:
2010 Conference Record: 1-11 (4th)
Last CW Title: 1998
Last CIS Title: 2005
2010 CW Ranking: 4th
2010 CIS Ranking: N/A
Head Coach: Stefanie Sloboda
Key additions: F Jenny Gluska, M Alanna Macdonald, M Lillian Pham, F Nicole Laskosky
Key returnees: D Jackie Trautmann, D Melanie Reid, D Julianna Cormier, GF Tory Spencer, F Kincso Santha, F Carly Flemming, F Ana Serban
