Announcement

UVIC INDOOR TOURNAMENT THIS WEEKEND

Posted by Vancouver Island Ladies Field Hockey Association on Jan 18 2016 at 09:22AM PST in 2017-2018
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VICTORIA, B.C. – As the winter months continue to drop the temperature the University of Victoria Vikes women’s field hockey team are hosting the annual UVic Indoor Tournament at the McKinnon Gymnasium Jan. 23-24.

The seven-team indoor tournament is the only one of its kind in Victoria as the adapted, indoor version of the game is significantly less popular in Western Canada. With thinner sticks, six players on the floor per team, side boards to keep the ball in play and no hitting, this version of hockey is high scoring, fast paced and more than just entertaining. A strong focus on technical speed and skill puts good teams ahead of others and while the indoor sport is a growing game in North America, the Vikes have always integrated it into their training.

Unlike past years, the Vikes will be entering just one team into the tournament, while local teams the Island Wildcats, the Islanders, Shawnigan and the Valley Vixens will also make a reappearance. Mainland teams traveling to compete include recent CIS champions, the UBC Thunderbirds, as well Vancouver premier league members, West Vancouver.

The Vikes are coming off a recent win at the Hawks Indoor Tournament, Jan. 9-10, where fourth-year forward Amanda Kurianowicz was the tournament MVP and the Vikes’ top goal scorer. The Vikes will also boast Larissa Piva in net as well as the strengths of defender Annie Walters-Shumka and fellow island natives Stefanie Langkammer, Jenna Dhillon, Lizzie Yates and Kristina Walters-Shumka.

The Wildcats will feature local young talents from recent AAA provincial championship-winning Cowichan High Robin Fleming and Brittany Smith, while ex-Vikes Kyla Kirby, Cara Jay and Sandy Zinkowski will suit up along side youngsters Clarie Church and Stefanie Sajko. The Islanders team will be under the leadership of Olympian Nancy Mollenhauer as well as former Vike Emily Fisher and a group of Lynx Club members Nicole Gaul, Cara Butler, Natalie Boraston and Anna Mollenhauer. The Valley Vixens will feature a mix of Cowichan players, while experienced line ups will be expected from UBC and West Vancouver.

The indoor game is often a more entertaining version for spectators as there are more goals, it is faster and it is held inside. Games are two 25-minute halves and admission is free.

A combination of up-and-coming youth as well as several ex-internationals and elite players will compete this weekend for the annual title.

2016 UVIC INDOOR TOURNAMENT

Pool A: Wildcats, Valley Vixens, UBC
Pool B: UVic, Shawnigan, West Van, Islanders

Saturday, January 23
10:00 am UVic vs Shawnigan
11:00 am Wildcats vs Valley Vixens
12:00 pm Islanders vs West Van
1:00 pm Wildcats vs UBC
2:00 pm UVic vs West Van
3:00 pm Shawnigan vs Islanders
4:00 pm UBC vs Valley Vixens
5:00 pm UVic vs Islanders
6:00 pm Shawnigan vs West Van

Sunday, January 24
8:00 am 3rd Pool A vs 4th Pool B
9:00 am 1st Pool A vs 2nd Pool B
10:00 am 2nd Pool A vs 1st Pool B
11:00 am 3rd Pool A vs 3rd Pool B (5th/6th)
12:00 pm Loser of 9am Game vs Loser of 10 am Game (3rd/4th)
1:00 pm Winner of 8am Game vs Winner of 9am Game (Final)
1:45 pm Presentation of Championship Trophy