VANCOUVER - The UBC Thunderbirds won the Vancouver Women's Field Hockey League's Premier Division on the weekend, sending head coach Hash Kanjee into retirement with one last triumph.
In Saturday's semifinal against the West Vancouver Vipers, UBC won 6-1 with
Abigail Raye scoring twice.
Hannah Haughn,
Natalie Sourisseau,
Sara McManus and
Rachel Donohoe got the other goals for the T-Birds.
In the league championship on Sunday, UBC outscored the Vancouver Rowing Club Jokers, a team with several former Ireland internationals, in a high-scoring affair, 5-3.
VRC opened the scoring but Haughn tied the game on a spectacular run which she finished with a narrow angle goal. She found the net again by converting on a pass from McManus before the Jokers leveled the game at 2-2.
Â
Kate Gillis then scored twice in a row, including the eventual game winner on a breakaway to make it 4-2. VRC immediately responded with a tally of their own but UBC sealed the victory when Haughn and
Sophie Huijskens helped Gillis get her hat trick goal to round out the scoring.
Â
Kanjee leaves UBC after 21 seasons at the helm of the Thunderbirds. He coached the team to 10 CIS national titles, including an unprecedented third championship in a row in the fall of 2013.
Â
Also finishing their T-Birds careers are fifth-year seniors
Miranda Mann,
Caitlin Evans and
Katie Jameson as well as graduating players Sourisseau,
Cassandra Tayler,
Shanlee Johnston,
Samantha Saddler and
Brittany Quinville, who is headed to France. Huijskens will be returning to her native Netherlands to continue her studies.
