University of Victoria Athletics

“Circles”

2008 University of Victoria Women’s Field Hockey
 

 Lynne Beecroft (Head Coach)
Krista Thompson (Assistant Coach)
 
Sandy Zinkowski (Athletic Trainer)
Tyler Duncan (Student Trainer)
 

Biography
The 2008 varsity season would become a memorable year for the University of Victoria women’s field hockey team as the Vikes played host for the CIS national championship tournament and would go on to win their first CIS title on home turf. The Vikes have won 10 national titles and have won more CIS games than any other team; however, it has been six years since the Vikes women’s field hockey team had hoisted a CIS national banner.
 
The Vikes entered the 2008 season with seven second year players and although a young team, the Vikes were held together by many key players. Fifth-year Ali Lee was last seasons CIS tournament MVP and third-year Perri Espeseth controlled the defense along with fourth-year teammate Katie Tittler. Three Vikes made the top 10 Canada West conference scoring leaders chart including, fourth-year Natalie Wise and third-year Amanda Collison and second-year Angela Buttress. Goalkeeper Kaitlin Williams had five wins, two losses and two ties in nine games ranking her third in Canada West.
 
The Vikes finished the 2008 regular season with a Canada West record of 6-4-2 putting them in second place behind the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds. Espeseth, Lee and Tittler were named Canada West All-Stars.
 
in their first game at the CIS national tournament, No. 4 ranked Vikes defeated the 2007 CIS runner-up’s, University of Guelph Gryphons 3-1. With trails blazing, the Vikes overpowered the 2007 CIS champions University of Toronto Varsity Blues 2-1. However, the Vikes fell to the University of Alberta Pandas 1-0 in their only game on day two. In their final round-robin game against the Thunderbirds, the Vikes tied 0-0 to bring their pool record to 2-1-1. This advanced the Vikes to the gold medal match and redemption game against Canada West rivals, Alberta Pandas.
 
Drawing first blood in only the seventh minute was Vike’s midfielder Katie Collison. In the second half, first-year Dani Hennig scored the go-ahead goal off a penalty corner for the Vikes in the 47^th minute. Giving it all they had, the Pandas first and only goal came from Rachel Sanders in the 64^th minute. The 2-1 triumphant victory over the Pandas gave the Vikes their 11 CIS national banner.
 
Lee and Katie Collison were named to the Tournament XI roster. Science major Lee was also named CIS First Team All-Canadian, while social science major Tittler was named CIS second team All-Canadian.
 
National Team Appearances
Together, Lee and Katie Collison played on the Senior Canadian national team. Lee’s first appearance on the National squad was in 2004 in the USA-Canada Challenge. Her first international cap came a year later in Wales, UK. Lee’s last appearance was the 2010 XIX Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India with Vikes teammate Katie Colliosn, where Canada finished 6^th.  Katie Collison’s first national experience was in 2010 during the South American Tour. Her final appearance with the national squad was on their Tour to Santiago, Chile. Natalie Wise has also made an appearance on the national team in 2009 during a Tour in Ireland. 
 
The Sr. National squad is currently home to Vikes alumni from the 2008 season, Danielle Hennig and goalkeeper Kaitlyn Williams.  Hennig’s first national experience was on home turf during the 2010 Canada vs. India Tour. Williams earned her first cap in 2011 in San Diego vs. USA. Williams and Hennig are part of the current team training for the next Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland in 2014. 



Highlights 
Canada West Record: 6-4-2 (2^nd)
Canada West All-Stars: Perri Espeseth, Ali Lee, Katie Tittler
 
CIS Record: 2-1-2 (Gold)
CIS Tournament XI: Katie Collison, Ali Lee
CIS First Team All-Canadians: Ali Lee
CIS Second Team All-Canadians: Katie Tittler, Perri Espeseth