Women’s volleyball takes first loss
The Gees had a good start to the season, bringing their record to 3–0 after their win against Nipissing on Nov. 2. During their first game on the road, the women ran into a couple of in-game hiccups but managed to find their footing.
The first game was settled in three sets: 25–21, 25–21, and 25–17. A good show of offensive strength came from fourth–year social sciences student Kelsie English, who grabbed 13 kills and two aces.
Although the team showed a strong performance, head coach Lionel Woods said he was concerned about the women’s nerves on a new court.
The second game against York on Nov. 3 was a return to that exact concern. Kelsie English said the team had difficulty facing a strong opponent and an unfamiliar court.
“We stopped playing as a team and started playing as individuals,” she said.
Some of the younger players also had trouble focusing with such an unfamiliar crowd. The game went 0–3 in favour of York, with sets 25–17, 25–18, and 25–16. York has had a strong defensive season, boasting two top diggers in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) league and having lost only a single set in five games.
In their second game, the Gees relied heavily on Myriam and Kelsie English on offence, while fourth-year social science student and co-captain Stephanie Theiler played a big role on defence. First-year health sciences rookie Kaly Soro also had a good game, with four kills and five points.
The women’s team left Toronto with a record of 3–1. Next, they will play Windsor and Western on their home court Nov. 9–10.
Women’s hockey beaten by Marlets
The Gees lost 4–2 to McGill University, the top ranked team in the country, despite playing a strong game on Nov. 3. The McGill Martlets have a 4–0 record, while the Gee–Gees now stand at 3–2 in the middle of the season.
The Martlets led the game by putting two pucks in the net before the five-minute mark,the first goal on a power play against Ottawa. The Gees responded with a goal of their own, but could not capitalize on their first power play in the second period.
Just past the half of the third, the Martlets landed another goal, forcing the Gees into a 6–on–5 in the final few moments of the game. The Gees managed to score with less than five seconds on the clock, but the Martlets retorted with a goal at the last second.
The Gees with be matched against the Ravens on Nov. 9.
Men’s hockey makes a comeback
The Gee-Gees men’s hockey team has been struggling this season but did not let it stop them from beating the Queen’s Gaels in a shootout on Nov. 1. U of O then hosted and defeated the RMC Paladins on Nov. 2. The men’s home game record for the season now stands at 3–1, while their overall record is 3–5.
In their first game against the Gaels, the Gees led the game with good puck control and offence, with a score of 1–0 by the end of the second period. The Gaels scored a tying goal in the third and both teams stayed deadlocked until the shootout.
Third-year social sciences student Alexandre Touchette scored a beautiful first shootout goal when he faked out the goalie and was met with an empty net. In goal, first–year business management student Warren Shymko blocked all three of Queen’s attempts on the net, landing the Gees a 2–1 victory.
After the momentum of having defeated Queen’s, the Gee-Gees did not give the Paladins very many chances to score in their second game on Nov. 2. The Paladins only managed 17 shots on goal, while the Gees racked up 41 shots.
“More shots equals more scoring chances,” said fourth-year defenseman David Foucher. “This performance also shows that as the season progresses, we are improving defensively.”
Scoring an early goal in the second period, the Gees struggled to maintain the lead when the Paladins tied up the score 1–1 by the end of the second. With a minute left in the third period, second-year forward Matthieu Tanguay-Theriault scored a winning goal, ending the game 2–1 for the Gees.
