The week ahead will feature some of the York Lions' top teams in action, including crucial playoff contests for the men's and women's soccer squads in their pursuit of an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship.
The women secured a spot in the OUA Final Four for the third consecutive season with a 1-0 shutout victory over the Brock Badgers on Saturday. As a result, they have earned the right to host the Carleton Ravens, quarter-final winners over the Toronto Varsity Blues, at 11:30am on Nov. 3 at York Stadium in a semi-final showdown. The winner of that game will compete in the provincial final, which will also be held at York Stadium the following day. The semifinal winners also advance to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship, Nov. 8-11, in Cape Breton, NS.
Left: Ashley DePalma scored the lone goal to lead York to a 1-0 quarter-final win over the Brock Badgers
The men, meanwhile, punched their ticket to Ottawa’s Carleton University as one of the teams involved in the OUA Final Four with a 3-1 victory over the Windsor Lancers in the quarter-final Saturday. They will travel to the nation's capital for a meeting with the Queen's Golden Gaels on Nov. 3, at 1:30pm, with a spot in the OUA final on the line.
In men’s hockey, the Lions (2-0-0-3) will look to extend their unbeaten streak in regulation this season when they host the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Ridgebacks on Thursday at 7pm for the first-ever meeting between the schools at Canlan Ice Sports Arena.
The 6-3-0-0 women’s hockey Lions will also be at home on the weekend, as hosts to the Toronto Varsity Blues, on Saturday at 2pm, in the first contest of the season between the rivals. The Lions dropped both games against the Blues last season, but seem to generate an added boost from the crowd when they play at Canlan Ice Sports Arena, where they own a 3-1 record.
The men's and women's volleyball teams will take to the court for their respective home openers in a Friday night doubleheader against the Toronto Varsity Blues. The women (1-0) will open up the back-to-back action at 6pm, while the men (0-2) will face their Blues counterparts at 8pm.
Another pair of York-Toronto tilts will take place at the Tait McKenzie Pool on Thursday, as the men's and women's water polo squads will compete in consecutive contests against the Varsity Blues. The 0-2 York women will kick things off at 7pm in their home opener, while the 2-2 men will look to remain unbeaten at home at 8:30pm.
Finally, the York women's basketball team will open its 2007-2008 campaign when it plays host to the Laurentian Voyageurs on Saturday at 6pm. Arrive at 5:45pm to check out a pre-game ceremony honouring the team for last year’s OUA championship victory.
Submitted to YFile by Mike Koreen, sport & recreation information officer in York’s School of Kinesiology & Health Science, Faculty of Health.