The York Lions women's hockey team began the 2005-2006 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) season by winning its opening game 2-1 over the ninth-ranked Queen's Golden Gaels on Friday. Jennifer Kramar scored the game-winner with the Lions playing shorthanded in the third period. OUA All-Star Melanie Quinn (above, no. 29) made 30 saves for the victory.
On Saturday, York faced the Windsor Lancers and skated to a scoreless tie. Quinn made 37 saves in net, including four in overtime. Despite a relatively young team, the majority of whom are rookies, the Lions are only a single point away from equalling last year's point total after just two games.
The field hockey team dropped a 2-0 decision to league-leading and undefeated Guelph on Friday. York sits tied for third spot in the OUA with a record of 4-3-1 and the team has a great opportunity to work its way up the standings with four games this week.
The football Lions hosted the Windsor Lancers on Saturday and ran into trouble trying to contain the nation's leading rusher, Daryl Stephenson. The second-year running back carried the ball 29 times for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns, as the Lancers topped the Lions 34-8. Rookie running back Nicholas Renolds scored the Lions’ only major of the game, his first for York, on a 15-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
Lions’ quarterback Bart Zemanek passed for 170 yards on 15 completions and Bryan Wheatle ran for 113 yards on 14 carries. Linebacker Geoff Gordon led the defensive unit with six tackles.
This weekend, the Lions face one of the top teams in the country, the third-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks. Defending OUA Champions, the Hawks enter the game off a big 32-17 win over the sixth-ranked Western Mustangs in a battle for top spot in the OUA. Laurier is only one of three undefeated teams in the country and the only one with six victories. Last year, the Golden Hawks doubled the Lions 38-19 in the final week of the regular season.
For more information on the Lions teams, visit the Sport York Web site.
This article was submitted to YFile by Jim McLarty, sport & recreation information officer in the School of Kinesiology & Health Science.