February 16, 2007
LAURIER AND TRENT LOOK TO SWEEP UP IN 2007 OUA CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS
HAMILTON, Ont. – In a sport where the slightest wrong touch of the rock can mean the difference between a championship and heart break, it would seem difficult to win back to back championships. Yet this is exactly what the Laurier Golden Hawks men’s curling team will attempt to do this weekend at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Curling Championships. For the first time since the 1993-94 seasons which saw the Queen’s Golden Gaels men take home back to back championships, the Laurier Golden Hawks, this year’s leaders coming in, hope to break the 13 year draught of repeat champions. On the women’s side it is a very different picture. The 2006 championship winner Brock Badgers did not qualify for this year’s finals and have left the door wide open. The Trent Excalibur women come into the championship tied for first place with the Western Mustangs and will be searching for their first OUA Curling Championship. The University of Waterloo will play host to the two day event on February 17 and 18 at the Westmount Golf and Country Club.
The Laurier Golden Hawks men’s team come into the championships with an experienced team comprised of three fourth year athletes who have faced the all important pressure of the final shot, in the final end in the past. Team skip Bill Francis (Toronto, Ontario) has guided his team to a 5-2 record coming into this weekend, with only one loss in the most recent cross-overs to the Windsor Lancers.
A team who has always been in the hunt, but never the champion, Brock Badgers, will look to hold the banner Sunday afternoon. Fifth year physics student Brian Lawson (Guelph, Ontario) will provide the leadership to a young Badger team. Brock comes into the championship tied with Queen’s and Windsor with a 4-3 record. The Badgers are coming off two tough loses at the cross-overs to the Laurier Golden Hawks (9-8) and the Trent Excalibur (7-8).
The Windsor Lancers youthful team will hope their energy and precise shooting is what they need to make a run at the championship. Third year skip Scott Moncur (Tecumseh, Ontario) will have to continue his stellar play to compete with the experienced Laurier squad. Rounding out the top four on the men’s side are the Queen’s Golden Gaels who are coming off two impressive wins from the cross-overs defeating the Waterloo Warriors 8-4 and the Windsor Lancers 9-4.
On the women’s side the Trent Excalibur and Western Mustangs come into the championship tied with a 5-2 record. The Excalibur went three and one at the OUA cross-overs, and are looking for the first ever curling banner for the university. The Mustangs, led by fourth year students Amanda Corkal (Sudbury, Ontario) and Pamela McDirmid (Providence Bay, Ontario) are looking to improve on their two and two record at the cross-overs including a 10-9 loss to Trent.
The Laurier Golden Hawks are the only team to have both their men and women competing at this year’s championship. On the women’s side, first year skip Leslie Bishop (Mississauga, Ontario) will try improve her team’s game and earn a spot in the final on Sunday. The host Waterloo Warriors will look to use the home ice to their advantage this weekend with skip Marika Bakewell (St.Catherines, Ontario) bringing a balance of offensive and defensive strategies to the ice this weekend.
OUA CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
MEN
Saturday February 17, 2007
8:00 am- Brock vs Queen’s
8:00 am- Windsor vs Laurier
12:00 pm- Laurier vs Queen’s
12:00 pm- Brock vs Windsor
4:00 pm- Queen’s vs Windsor
4:00 pm- Laurier vs Brock
Sunday February 18, 2007
8:30 am- Semi-Final (2 vs 3)
1:30 pm- Gold Medal Match (1 vs Winner of 2 vs 3)
WOMEN
Saturday February 17, 2007
8:00 am- Waterloo vs Trent
8:00 am- Western vs Laurier
12:00 pm- Western vs Waterloo
12:00 pm- Laurier vs Trent
4:00 pm- Trent vs Western
4:00 pm- Waterloo vs Laurier
Sunday February 18, 2007
8:30 am- Semi-Final (2 vs 3)
1:30 pm- Gold Medal Match (1 vs Winner of 2 vs 3)
- OUA -
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
The Laurier Golden Hawks men’s team come into the championships with an experienced team comprised of three fourth year athletes who have faced the all important pressure of the final shot, in the final end in the past. Team skip Bill Francis (Toronto, Ontario) has guided his team to a 5-2 record coming into this weekend, with only one loss in the most recent cross-overs to the Windsor Lancers.
A team who has always been in the hunt, but never the champion, Brock Badgers, will look to hold the banner Sunday afternoon. Fifth year physics student Brian Lawson (Guelph, Ontario) will provide the leadership to a young Badger team. Brock comes into the championship tied with Queen’s and Windsor with a 4-3 record. The Badgers are coming off two tough loses at the cross-overs to the Laurier Golden Hawks (9-8) and the Trent Excalibur (7-8).
The Windsor Lancers youthful team will hope their energy and precise shooting is what they need to make a run at the championship. Third year skip Scott Moncur (Tecumseh, Ontario) will have to continue his stellar play to compete with the experienced Laurier squad. Rounding out the top four on the men’s side are the Queen’s Golden Gaels who are coming off two impressive wins from the cross-overs defeating the Waterloo Warriors 8-4 and the Windsor Lancers 9-4.
On the women’s side the Trent Excalibur and Western Mustangs come into the championship tied with a 5-2 record. The Excalibur went three and one at the OUA cross-overs, and are looking for the first ever curling banner for the university. The Mustangs, led by fourth year students Amanda Corkal (Sudbury, Ontario) and Pamela McDirmid (Providence Bay, Ontario) are looking to improve on their two and two record at the cross-overs including a 10-9 loss to Trent.
The Laurier Golden Hawks are the only team to have both their men and women competing at this year’s championship. On the women’s side, first year skip Leslie Bishop (Mississauga, Ontario) will try improve her team’s game and earn a spot in the final on Sunday. The host Waterloo Warriors will look to use the home ice to their advantage this weekend with skip Marika Bakewell (St.Catherines, Ontario) bringing a balance of offensive and defensive strategies to the ice this weekend.
OUA CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE
MEN
Saturday February 17, 2007
8:00 am- Brock vs Queen’s
8:00 am- Windsor vs Laurier
12:00 pm- Laurier vs Queen’s
12:00 pm- Brock vs Windsor
4:00 pm- Queen’s vs Windsor
4:00 pm- Laurier vs Brock
Sunday February 18, 2007
8:30 am- Semi-Final (2 vs 3)
1:30 pm- Gold Medal Match (1 vs Winner of 2 vs 3)
WOMEN
Saturday February 17, 2007
8:00 am- Waterloo vs Trent
8:00 am- Western vs Laurier
12:00 pm- Western vs Waterloo
12:00 pm- Laurier vs Trent
4:00 pm- Trent vs Western
4:00 pm- Waterloo vs Laurier
Sunday February 18, 2007
8:30 am- Semi-Final (2 vs 3)
1:30 pm- Gold Medal Match (1 vs Winner of 2 vs 3)
- OUA -
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
