WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK – FEB. 21
A very busy but exciting weekend awaits the York University Lions! Three OUA banners will be handed out at York this weekend as the women’s volleyball and the men’s and women’s track and field champions will be determined on campus. The women’s hockey team is also hosting an OUA semifinal series.
HOME PLAYOFF GAMES
Women’s Hockey: York vs. Western, OUA Semifinals
(best of three)
Game 1: Friday, Feb. 24 @ 7pm
Game 3: Sunday, Feb. 26 @ 2pm (if necessary)
Webcast: SSN Canada
The women’s hockey team advanced to the OUA semifinals for the first time in thrilling fashion, knocking off the defending champion and No. 10 nationally-ranked Queen’s Gaels in double overtime in the third game of their quarter-final series thanks to a goal by team captain Chloe Milano. Seeded fifth in the post-season, the Lions will take on the sixth-seeded Western Mustangs, who upset the Toronto Varsity Blues in the first round with consecutive wins. In the regular season the Lions finished just one point ahead of the Mustangs courtesy of an overtime loss, and otherwise the two teams won the same number of games (13). The Mustangs won the season series between the two teams 2-1, winning once at home and once on the road, while the Lions won their game at home.
Track and Field: York hosts OUA Championships
Friday, Feb. 24 @ 12:30pm – 9pm
Saturday, Feb. 25 @ 10:30am – 5pm
The best track and field student-athletes from across the province will be at York this weekend for OUA championships, and it will be a tough battle for the team titles this season as the rest of the squads look to knock off the Windsor Lancers, who won both the women's and men's team banners last year for the second year in a row. The men's team is favoured again this year after ranking No. 1 in the CIS for five straight weeks, while the women will again be in the mix and will likely see their biggest competition come from Guelph and Western. The Lancers have won 13 straight OUA men's titles and 20 of the last 21 overall, while the women have won six of the previous eight trophies. The Lions men's team finished fourth at the OUA championship last season, the same place they finished the previous year, while the women dropped down one spot to sixth. Both Lions teams have been ranked in the CIS Top 10 for the entire regular season; the Lions peaked at No. 2 and currently hold down the No. 3 spot, while the women are at a season-high No. 8.
Women’s Volleyball: York hosts OUA Final Four
Championships
OUA Semifinal 1: Friday, Feb. 24 @ 5pm – York
vs. Toronto
OUA Semifinal 2: Friday, Feb. 24 @ 8pm – Ottawa vs.
Queen’s
OUA Bronze Medal Game: Saturday, Feb. 25 @ 5pm
OUA Gold Medal Game: Saturday, Feb. 25 @ 8pm
Webcast: SSN Canada
The women’s volleyball team defeated the RMC Paladins in straight sets on Saturday in their OUA quarter-final game to advance to the OUA Final Four Championships for the second straight year. After finishing first in the OUA standings at 16-2, the Lions earned the right to host the event and will welcome Ottawa, Queen’s and Toronto to the Tait McKenzie Centre this weekend. Their semifinal opponent is the Varsity Blues, whom they defeated 3-1 in their only meeting this season, while the Gee-Gees and Gaels will face off in the other semifinal. The OUA champion will also earn a berth in the CIS championships the following weekend in Hamilton, Ont.
ROAD PLAYOFF GAMES
Women’s Basketball: York at Toronto, OUA Round
1
Wednesday, Feb. 22 @ 7pm
The Lions clinched the sixth seed in the OUA East Division two weeks ago and earned a date with the Toronto Varsity Blues in the first round of the playoffs on Wednesday. After closing with a 51-39 victory over the RMC Paladins, the Lions finished 8-14 on the year and advanced to the post-season for the second straight year. The Lions were defeated by the Varsity Blues in both head-to-head games this season, going down 77-64 at home and 58-27 at Toronto.
Men’s Basketball: York at Ottawa, OUA Round 1
Wednesday, Feb. 22 @ 8pm
The men’s basketball team clinched the sixth and final playoff spot in the OUA East Division with a thrilling 89-82 victory over the Queen’s Gaels on Friday night, setting up a first-round game against the third-seeded Ottawa Gee-Gees in Ottawa on Wednesday. The Lions (5-17) come into the game carrying a two-game winning streak while the Gee-Gees (13-9) dropped two in a row to Toronto and Ryerson last weekend, losses than cost them the second seed and a playoff bye. The Gee-Gees topped the Lions in both head-to-head match-ups this year, winning 92-71 at the Tait McKenzie Centre and 92-61 at home.
Women’s Hockey: York vs. Western, OUA Semifinals
(best of three)
Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 25 @ 2:30pm
