CIS Women's Soccer Championship preview

2009 CIS women’s soccer championship
Spartans looking to defend title in TO
Courtesy Canadian Interuniversity Sport

OTTAWA (CIS) – The Trinity Western Spartans hope to become the third team in history to successfully defend a CIS women’s soccer title this week when the University of Toronto hosts the 2009 national tournament.

The event is held at the U of T for the first time since the sport was added to the CIS program in 1987 and returns to the province of Ontario for the first time since 2001, when Carleton hosted the competition in the nation’s capital.

The eight-team, single-elimination championship gets under way Thursday with the quarterfinal round. The semi-finals follow on Saturday, while the bronze-medal game and national final are set for Sunday at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.

SSN Canada will have live webcasts of all 11 match-ups, including the consolation round (www.ssncanada.ca or www.cis-sic.ca). 

The Canada West champion Spartans, who claimed the second CIS banner in team history a year ago with a 1-0 gold-medal win on home turf over Brock, are one of only two teams to return from the 2008 tourney, along with the QSSF champion Montreal Carabins.

Joining the two returnees in Toronto will be the AUS champion St. Francis Xavier X-Women, OUA champion York Lions, Canada West finalist UBC Thunderbirds, AUS finalist UPEI Panthers, OUA finalist Queen’s Gaels, as well as the championship host Varsity Blues. 

The Spartans begin their title defence against UPEI Thursday at 1:30 p.m., in the second quarterfinal. The other first-round match-ups will see Queen’s face StFX at 11 a.m., York battle UBC at 3:30 p.m., and Montreal square off against host Toronto at 6:30 p.m.

Since the inaugural championship 22 years ago, Dalhousie and UBC are the only programs to win back-to-back Gladys Bean memorial trophies. Dalhousie accomplished the feat in 1999 and 2000, while the T-Birds were crowned in 2002 and again in 2003.

Two-time national champion Trinity Western, which first claimed the Bean trophy in 2004 in Montreal, makes its fourth appearance at the championship sporting a stellar 7-1-1 all-time record on the national stage.

In 2009, the Spartans had their best season since joining CIS in 2001. Ranked first or second in all 10 national coaches’ polls, including eight first-place nods, they finished atop the Canada West standings with a team-record 11-2-1 mark and claimed the third conference banner in school history with a 1-0 gold-medal win over UBC.

“It is great to go into the CIS tournament coming off the high of a win,” said TWU head coach Graham Roxburgh following the Canada West final. “UBC is an excellent team with great veterans and we knew it was going to be a battle and would probably end up being a one-goal game. And this time we were on the right end of the one goal game.”

While they would have preferred to come in as conference champions, the Thunderbirds are in and it’s all that matters. After all, once at the CIS tournament, UBC’s record is unmatched: 10 podiums in 10 appearances, seven trips to the final, a record five national titles, and an overall mark of 23 wins and five losses.

Much like Trinity Western, Quebec champion Montreal spent the entire season near or at the top of the national rankings, finishing at No. 1 after 10 weeks in first, second or third place. After going 12-1-1 in conference play, the Carabins crushed Laval 3-0 in the semi-finals and edged McGill 2-1 in the title match for their second straight QSSF banner.

“This is another step towards the main goal we set for ourselves at the start of the season,” said Montreal head coach Kevin McConnell, whose Carabins claimed the first CIS medal in team history a year ago with a third-place finish and is looking to become the first QSSF squad to hoist the Gladys Bean trophy.

Both OUA champion York and finalist Queen’s came oh so close in their last appearance at the CIS tournament.

The Lions, who edged the Gaels 1-0 on penalty kicks in Sunday’s Ontario final for their third OUA banner in five years, earned CIS silver two years ago following a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Cape Breton.

The Gaels, who captured their lone CIS title in 1988, reached the 2006 national final, where they lost 3-1 to UBC.

The third OUA entry this week, the host Varsity Blues, will compete at the CIS championship for the very first time. Despite an upset loss to Ottawa in the conference quarterfinals, Toronto is a legitimate contender following an 11-1-4 regular season, good for second place behind Queen’s (13-1-2) in the OUA East standings.

York, Queen’s and Toronto all hope to become the first Ontario team since Ottawa in 1996 to claim the Bean trophy.

StFX was a surprise 2-1 penalty-kick winner over UPEI in the AUS title match.

The X-Women, who beat AUS first-place finisher and previously undefeated Dalhousie in overtime to reach the final, claimed only the second conference championship in team history, the first one dating back to 1986. In its lone previous appearance at the CIS tournament, in 2005, StFX went 1-2 en route to a sixth-place finish.

The Atlantic finalist Panthers will also compete at the CIS tourney for only the second time, five years after going 0-1-1 and finishing in a tie for fifth position in Montreal.

For all the info on the 2009 CIS women’s soccer championship: www.cis-sic.ca.

TEAM PROFILES

Canada West champions: Trinity Western Spartans
Head Coach: Graham Roxburgh (11th season)
2009 regular season record: 11-2-1
2009 regular season standing: 1st Canada West
2009 playoff record: 2-0
2009 playoff finish: Canada West champions
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 3): No. 2
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 1 (8 weeks)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 10
Conference award winners: Alicia Tesan (rookie of the year), Graham Roxburgh (coach of the year)
Conference 1st team all-stars: Nikki Wright (S), Melissa Mobilio (M)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Alicia Tesan (S), Natalie Boyd (M), Jilian Dietrich (FB)
CIS championship appearances (including 2009): 4th (2009, 2008, 2006, 2004)
CIS championship all-time record: 7-1-1
CIS championship all-time medals: 2 (2 gold)
CIS championship best result: 2-time champions (2008, 2004)
CIS championship last appearance: 2008 (champions)
CIS championship sequence: 2nd straight appearance, 4th in 6 years

OUA champions: York Lions
Head Coach: Paul James (6th season)
2009 regular season record: 11-2-1
2009 regular season standing: 1st OUA West
2009 playoff record: 3-0
2009 playoff finish: OUA champions
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 3): No. 7
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 7 (2 weeks – last 2 polls)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 3
Conference award winners (OUA West): Ami Otaki (MVP), Nicole Campbell (rookie of the year)
Conference 1st team all-stars (OUA West): Ami Otaki (S), Alicia Donaldson (M), Nicole Campbell (M), Nicole Markowitz (M), Sarah Fiorini (G)
Conference 2nd team all-stars (OUA West): Tania Porretta (D)
CIS championship appearances (including 2009): 4th (2009, 2007, 2006, 2005)
CIS championship all-time record: 3-5-0
CIS championship all-time medals: 1 (1 silver)
CIS championship best result: 1-time finalists (2007)
CIS championship last appearance: 2007 (finalists)
CIS championship sequence: 1st appearance since 2007, 4th in 5 years

QSSF champions: Montreal Carabins
Head Coach: Kevin McConnell (5th season)
2009 regular season record: 12-1-1
2009 regular season standing: 1st QSSF
2009 playoff record: 2-0
2009 playoff finish: QSSF champions
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 3): No. 1
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 1 (2 weeks / 8th and 10th polls)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 10
Conference award winners: Véronique Maranda (MVP)
Conference 1st team all-stars: Véronique Maranda (M), Émilie Mercier (D), Véronique Laverdière (S)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Virginie Lévesque (D), Catherine Delmas-Frenette (M), Claire Robbins (M), Éva Thouvenot-Hébert (S)
CIS championship appearances (including 2009): 4th (2009, 2008, 2007, 2004)
CIS championship all-time record: 4-5-0
CIS championship all-time medals: 1 (1 bronze)
CIS championship best result: Bronze medallists (2008)
CIS championship last appearance: 2008 (bronze medallists)
CIS championship sequence: 3rd straight appearance, 4th in 5 years

AUS champions: St. Francis Xavier X-Women
Head Coach: Trevor Reddick (6th season)
2009 regular season record: 8-4-1
2009 regular season standing: 4th AUS
2009 playoff record: 3-0
2009 playoff finish: AUS champions
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 3): Unranked
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 6 (1 week - 5th poll)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 2
Conference award winners: Meaghan Ramsden (rookie of the year)
Conference 1st team all-stars: Eugenia Renderos (S)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Amy MacKinnon (S), Anna Thompson (G), Meaghan Ramsden (FB)
CIS championship appearances (including 2009): 2nd (2009, 2005) 
CIS championship all-time record: 1-2-0
CIS championship all-time medals: 0
CIS championship best result: 6th (2005)
CIS championship last appearance: 2005 (6th)
CIS championship sequence: 2nd appearance in 5 years

Canada West finalists: UBC Thunderbirds
Head Coach: Dick Mosher (14th season)
2009 regular season record: 8-2-4
2009 regular season standing: 3rd Canada West
2009 playoff record: 1-1
2009 playoff finish: Canada West finalists
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 3): No. 9
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 7 (3 weeks – first 3 polls)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 5
Conference award winners: none
Conference 1st team all-stars: Jaclyn Dunnett (G), Chelsea Stang (FB), Kelly Isberg (FB), Lisa Furutani (M)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: none
CIS championship appearances (including 2009): 11th (2009, ’07, ’06, ’03, ’02, 1995, ’94, ’93, ’92, ’90, ’87) 
CIS championship all-time record: 23-5-0
CIS championship all-time medals: 10 (5 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze)
CIS championship best result: 5-time champions / CIS record (2006, 2003, 2002, 1993, 1987)
CIS championship last appearance: 2007 (bronze medallists)
CIS championship sequence: 1st appearance since 2007, 3rd in 4 years

OUA finalists: Queen’s Gaels
Head Coach: Dave McDowell (12th season)
2009 regular season record: 13-1-2
2009 regular season standing: 1st OUA East
2009 playoff record: 2-1
2009 playoff finish: OUA finalists
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 3): No. 3
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 2 (1 week – 9th poll)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 5
Conference award winners (OUA East): Renee McLellan (MVP), Riley Filion (rookie of the year), Dave McDowell (coach of the year)
Conference 1st team all-stars (OUA East): Renee McLellan (S), Riley Filion (M), Brienna Shaw (D)
Conference 2nd team all-stars (OUA East): Victoria Gonzalez-Milroy (D)
CIS championship appearances (including 2009): 10th (2009, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1995, 1988) 
CIS championship all-time record: 7-10-4
CIS championship all-time medals: 3 (1 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze)
CIS championship best result: 1-time champions (1988)
CIS championship last appearance: 2006 (silver medallists)
CIS championship sequence: 1st appearance since 2006, 7th in 10 years

AUS finalists: UPEI Panthers
Head Coach: Mike Redmond (6th season)
2009 regular season record: 9-3-1
2009 regular season standing: 2nd AUS
2009 playoff record: 1-1
2009 playoff finish: AUS finalists
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 3): Unranked
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 8 (1 week - 8th poll)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 2
Conference award winners: Tessa Roche (MVP)
Conference 1st team all-stars: Tessa Roche (S), Chanelle Roy (G), Sara Stewart (FB)
Conference 2nd team all-stars: Andrea Archibald (M)
CIS championship appearances (including 2009): 2nd (2009, 2004) 
CIS championship all-time record: 0-1-1
CIS championship all-time medals: 0
CIS championship best result: Tied 5th (2004)
CIS championship last appearance: 2004 (Tie 5th)
CIS championship sequence: 2nd appearance in 6 years

CIS championship hosts: Toronto Varsity Blues
Head Coach: Eva Havaris (2nd season)
2009 regular season record: 11-1-4
2009 regular season standing: 2nd OUA East
2009 playoff record: 0-1
2009 playoff finish: OUA quarterfinalists
Final Top 10 ranking (Nov. 3): Unranked
Best Top 10 ranking (10 weeks): No. 6 (1 week – 6th poll)
Number of weeks in Top 10 (10 weeks): 3
Conference award winners (OUA East): Jennifer Siu (student-athlete award)
Conference 1st team all-stars (OUA East): Erica Basso (M), Alicia Lashley (D)
Conference 2nd team all-stars (OUA East): Jenessa Banwell (M), Jessica Fantozzi (S), Arin King (D/S)
CIS championship appearances (including 2009): 1st (2009)
CIS championship all-time record: 0-0-0
CIS championship all-time medals: 0
CIS championship best result: 1st appearance in history
CIS championship last appearance: 1st appearance in history
CIS championship sequence: 1st appearance in history

GLADYS BEAN MEMORIAL TROPHY CHAMPIONS
2008 Trinity Western (at Trinity Western)
2007 Cape Breton (at Cape Breton)
2006 UBC (at Victoria)
2005 Victoria (at Alberta)
2004 Trinity Western (at Montreal / McGill)
2003 UBC (at Montreal / McGill)
2002 UBC (at Alberta)
2001 Alberta (at Carleton)
2000 Dalhousie (at Acadia)
1999 Dalhousie (at Laurier)
1998 Calgary (at Victoria)
1997 Alberta (at Laval)
1996 Ottawa (at Dalhousie)
1995 Laurier (at Carleton)
1994 Dalhousie (at Alberta)
1993 UBC (at McGill)
1992 Laurier (at McMaster)
1991 McMaster (at Guelph)
1990 Acadia (at UBC)
1989 Alberta (at Acadia)
1988 Queen's (at UBC)
1987 UBC (at McGill)   

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE

Wednesday, Nov. 11
18:00 All-Canadian Awards Banquet

Thursday, Nov. 12
11:00 Quarterfinal 1: Queen’s vs. StFX (SSN Canada webcast)
13:30 Quarterfinal 2: Trinity Western vs. UPEI (SSN Canada webcast)
15:30 Quarterfinal 3: York vs. UBC (SSN Canada webcast)
18:30 Quarterfinal 4: Montreal vs. Toronto (SSN Canada webcast)

Friday, Nov. 13
13:30 Consolation 1: Loser QF 1 vs. Loser QF 2 (SSN Canada webcast)
15:30 Consolation 2: Loser QF 3 vs. Loser QF 4 (SSN Canada webcast)

Saturday, Nov. 14
13:30 Semi-final 1: Winner QF 1 vs. Winner QF 2 (SSN Canada webcast)
15:30 Semi-final 2: Winner QF 3 vs. Winner QF 4 (SSN Canada webcast)
18:30 Consolation final (5th-place match) (SSN Canada webcast)

Sunday, Nov. 15
14:00 Bronze medal (SSN Canada webcast)
17:00 Championship final (SSN Canada webcast)