The UBC Thunderbirds needed a shootout win to defeat the UVic Vikes 2-1 on Sunday to win the McCrae Cup national field hockey championship in Toronto.
It’s the second consecutive season that the Thunderbirds needed a shootout to defeat the Vikes for the title. The two teams have a rich history against each other. The T-Birds improve to 18-6 in 24 national final appearances, while the Vikes are 12-11-7 in national finals.
It’s the VIkes 12th national silver medal.
Fifth-year Vikes forward and 2016 U Sports all-Canadian Amanda Kurianowicz scored the opening goal in the 49th minute, tallying Victoria’s first goal off a penalty corner. The T-Birds then evened the score in the 61st minute as fifth-year veteran Gabby Jayme scored off a penalty corner.
In the shootout, UBC netminder Gabriella Switzer came up big, stopping all four Vikes she faced. 2016 U Sports co-player of the year Rachel Donohoe and fourth-year midfielder Sarah Keglowitsch scored for the T-Birds.
Fifth-year UBC veteran Hannah Haughn earned championship MVP honours.
“I’m really proud of the transformation that this team has made since the beginning of the season,” said Vikes head coach Lynne Beecroft. “I think everyone stepped up after we lost Kathleen Leahy a couple of weeks ago. It’s going to be sad for me to lose the five players that I lose this year because they are such quality hockey players but more importantly they are such quality people. The winning or losing is what it is but I’m going to really miss those young ladies.”
Official championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/fh/index
SCORING SUMMARY
UBC: 0-1: 1
VIC: 0-1: 1
First half
No Scoring.
Second half
VIC Amanda Kurianowicz (2), 49th minute
UBC Gabby Jayme (1), 61st minute
Goaltenders
UBC: Gabriella Switzer (W, 70:00, 1 GA, 2-0-0)
VIC: Lariss Piva (L, 70:00, 1 GA, 1-1-2)
SHOOTOUT SUMMARY
UBC Stephanie Norlander, no goal (0-0)
VIC Amanda Kurianowicz, no goal (0-0)
UBC Hannah Haughn, no goal (0-0)
VIC Lindsay Cole, no goal (0-0)
UBC Rachel Donohoe, goal (1-0)
VIC Cilia van Nierop, no goal (0-1)
UBC Sarah Keglowitsch, goal (2-0)
VIC: Sophia Murray no goal (0-2)
Players of the game
UBC: Gabriella Switzer (Vancouver, B.C.)
VIC: Annie Walters-Shumka (Victoria, B.C.)
CHAMPIONSHIP HONOURS
Championship MVP: Hannah Haughn (North Vancouver, B.C.), UBC
R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award: Guelph Gryphons
Championship All-Stars:
Lindsay Cole (Victoria, B.C.), Victoria
Ciara Condon (London, Ont.), Guelph
Rachel Donohoe (North Vancouver, B.C.), UBC
Hannah Haughn (North Vancouver, B.C.), UBC
Olivia Lane (Guelph, Ont.), Guelph
Alison Lee (Mississauga, Ont.), Toronto
Elizabeth O’Hara (Oakville, Ont.), Toronto
Rebecca Plouffe (Oakville, Ont.), Guelph
Annie Walters-Shumka (Victoria, B.C.), Victoria
Kristina Walters-Shumka (Victoria, B.C.), Victoria
Emma Wingrave (Oakville, Ont.), Toronto
