The York Lions indoor hockey team knocked off the number-one-ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues, 2-1, in the first semi-final of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Indoor Hockey Championship and then went on to defeat the defending champion Waterloo Warriors, 2-1, to earn gold for the first time since 1998-1999. It was York’s second OUA Championship in as many weeks as the men’s volleyball squad captured an OUA title last weekend.
Right: The York Lions indoor hockey team. Photo by Andrew Craig
Sarah Forbes put on a dominant performance in net to keep the Lions in the gold medal match against a tough Waterloo squad. York’s Christianne Theriault opened the scoring at 6:53 in the second half. With less than three minutes remaining in the game, Warrior defenceman Jessalyn Jennings chipped one past Forbes on a penalty shot to even things up. Regulation ended with both teams even at one goal each.
Neither team was able to score during two overtimes, leaving the match to be determined on penalty strokes. The teams were locked at two goals when Forbes slipped one past Warrior goalie Kate Betts-Wilmott on the Lions final shot. Waterloo was unable to even it up on the resulting penalty shot, giving York its eighth overall OUA Indoor Hockey Championship.
In the third-place game, the Varsity Blues blanked the Guelph Gryphons, 5-0.
This story was submitted to YFile by Keith Boshart, Sport York information assistant