GUELPH, Ont. (CIS) – In the opening game of the 2010 CIS women's field hockey championship, the second-seeded UBC Thunderbirds beat the top-seeded Guelph Gryphons 2-1, handing the hosts their first home loss of the season.
The CIS defending champion Thunderbirds opened the scoring early when
Kira Graham slotted a rebound past Guelph goalie Kaye MacLagan in the third minute of play.
UBC scored what proved to be the game winning goal on a penalty corner after the half-time whistle when
Victoria Pearson, who led the Canada West in scoring, received a pass across the edge of the circle and redirected the ball past an outstretched MacLagan boot.
CIS all-canadian Tegan Stairs replied for Guelph in the 59th minute.
“We treat everybody more or less equally, we have to separate them a bit from the rest of the team,” said UBC assistant coach Kimo Linders of the Gryphons high scoring forwards. “But if they don't get the ball too much they can't score. That's more or less the strategy.”
Guelph's top line of Brittany Seidler, Tegan Stairs and Brienne Stairs, who had 60 goals between them in the regular season, made a push in the second half but the UBC defence was able to clear the pads of goaltender
Bea Francisco.
MacLagan kept the Gryphons in the game in the second half when UBC earned a partial breakaway but the charging Guelph keeper stopped the chance at the edge of the circle.
MacLagan, an OUA and CIS all star, was named player of the game for Guelph.
CIS rookie of the year
Natalie Sourisseau, who assisted on the opening goal, earned the game MVP honours for UBC.
The top-seeded Gryphons (0-1) have never hosted the CIS championships and will continue to push for their first MacCrae Cup when they face archrivals, the Toronto Varsity Blues (0-0), in the later Thursday match at 5:50 p.m.
Defending champions UBC (1-0), who have won a record 12 McCrae Cups, play their second game of the opening day at 3:30 p.m. when they face the No. 5 Waterloo Warriors (0-0). This is the first appearance for the Warriors since their fourth place finish in 2004.
GAME NOTES: UBC has beat Guelph in all meetings at CIS championships except for Guelph's 1-0 win in round robin play in 2007.
SCORING SUMMARY
UBC: 2 – 0 : 2
GUE: 0– 1 : 1
First half
3rd, UBC, #21
Kira Graham (1)
35th, UBC, #4
Victoria Pearson (1)
Second half
59th, GUE, #12 Tegan Stairs (1)
Goaltenders
UBC:
Bea Francisco (W, 70:00, 1 GA, 1-0)
GUE: Kaye MacLagan (L, 70:00, 2 GA, 0-1)
Players of the game
UBC:
Natalie Sourisseau (Kelowna, B.C.)
GUE: Kaye MacLagan (Mitchell, Ont.)
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