Weekend wrap: Men’s hockey Lions down Lancers, advance to OUA final and nationals

The York University Lions men’s hockey team qualified for the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) final and earned a berth at the U SPORTS championships with a 6-3 victory over the University of Windsor Lancers in Game 3 of their OUA West final series on Saturday night at Canlan Ice Sports.

The result represents the first time the Lions will play for the Queen’s Cup since 2004, when they were last crowned champions.

The first period provided an offensive showcase as four total goals would be scored. The Lions opened up the scoring 11 minutes into the game when Reid Jackman sent a cross-crease pass to the awaiting Scott Feser for a one-time goal. More details on the York Lions website.

In Game 1 of the series, the Lions posted a 5-3 victory over the Lancers at South Windsor Arena in Windsor, Ont. For the third time in as many series-opening games, the Lions needed a comeback to win after falling behind early. Against the Lancers, they trailed 1-0 and 2-1 before scoring three unanswered goals to pull away with the victory.

The first period went nearly scoreless, but the Lancers earned a 1-0 lead just 22 seconds before the final whistle when Justice Dundas scored his second of the playoffs. More details.

The series required a deciding Game 3 after the Lancers earned a 4-2 victory in the second game, which was played back at Canlan Ice Sports. In the opening period on Friday, the Lions took an aggressive stance with high hopes of connecting the first punch. Their plan of action came to fruition when Bryce Milson sniped a wrist shot from the high left slot that gave the home team a 1-0 lead just 1:13 into the contest.

Thirteen minutes later, the Lancers let everyone inside the arena know they were not phased by York’s early advantage as they would score off of a wrist shot from the low slot by Dylan Seguin to neutralize the game at 1-1. More details.

Warriors upset men’s volleyball Lions in OUA quarter-final match

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team opened up their 2016-17 playoff campaign on Saturday afternoon against the University of Waterloo Warriors at the Tait McKenzie Centre and saw its season come to an end sooner than they wanted in a 3-1 loss in their Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarter-final match.

In the opening frame of the match the Lions looked out of their usual high-flying form. The Warriors shot out to a quick lead that slowly began to compound against the Lions. Alex Duncan-Thibault took to his usual business regardless of the score in the set en route to his team leading 20 kills, but the set would end 25-17 in favour of the Warriors.

In the second set the Lions would be pushed to the limit as they desperately needed to get back into the match. Duncan-Thibault continued his dominant play all the way through to the final point and was credited with two of the final three kills to take the set by a score of 27-25 and pull even with the Warriors. More details.

Women’s volleyball Lions swept by Marauders in opening playoff game

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team faced a tough opponent in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarter-finals on Saturday and was defeated in straight sets by the No. 8 nationally ranked McMaster University Marauders at Burridge Gymnasium in Hamilton, Ont.

The Marauders made quick work of the Lions in the opening set, scoring five of the first six points en route to a dominant 25-6 score.

The Marauders carried that momentum into the first part of the second set before the Lions finally found their groove and starting stringing together points. The visitors trailed by just one, at 16-15, at the technical timeout and was tied with McMaster at 22-22, but the Marauders scored the last three points of the set to make it 25-22 and pull ahead 2-0. More details.

York University football players recognized at annual gala

The York University Lions football team handed out its major team awards on Tuesday night (Feb. 28) at the program’s annual year-end awards gala.

The top award, the Frank Cosentino Team MVP Trophy, was awarded to receiver Colton Hunchak, who proved this season he is one of the best receivers in the country in just his second year of varsity football.

The Calgary native earned Ontario University Athletics (OUA) second-team all-star honours for the first time after finishing sixth in the OUA in total catches (43) and seventh in receiving yards (588). He was also third in the conference in receiving touchdowns (five) and his yardage total was the fourth-most single season receiving yards in York history.

The Gridiron Scholar Award for Academic Excellence was earned by linebacker DJ Panos (Mississauga, Ont.). He earned Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) academic all-Canadian honours in his rookie season last year with a 7.5 grade point average while studying environmental management.

Defensive end Rossini Sandjong-Djabome (Longueuil, Que.) was a dual winner on the night as he picked up both the Jeff Johnson Rookie of the Year award and the Mike Benevides Lineman of the Year award.

Sandjong-Djabome started all eight games on the defensive line and made an immediate impact, ranking sixth in the OUA in sacks, with five. He was also among the top 50 in the conference in total tackles (30) and added seven tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one pass break-up. He earned a place on the OUA all-rookie team for his efforts.

Hunchak succeeded at receiver, thanks in large part to the strong play of his older brother, Brett Hunchak, who was named the Leonard Jean-Pierre W21 Offensive MVP. This season he was twice named the OUA offensive football player of the week and earned the CIS award once. He put up 2085 passing yards, the highest single-season total in York history and the fourth-most in the OUA this season. He also ranked fourth in touchdowns (12).

On the other side of the ball, veteran defensive back Josh Small (Pickering, Ont.) was earned the Nobby Wirkowski Defensive MVP trophy. Playing in his fifth and final season with the Lions, he finished his career ranking 19th in the OUA with 42 tackles and also added one sack, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and two pass break-ups. Small is no stranger to York awards as he was honoured as the team MVP last year and the rookie of the year in 2012.

Also handed out on Tuesday night were the Andre Durie Special Teams MVP trophy to rookie linebacker Damian Jamieson (Oakville, Ont.) and the Tom Arnott Yeoman of the Year Award for Hard Work and Character to fourth-year receiver Adam Adeboboye (Toronto).

A new award was created this year to recognize the hard work of the players in study hall, and the inaugural Study Hall Award was presented to Andrew Smith (Whitby, Ont.) for his commitment to his academics.

As part of the evening, some key graduating players were recognized with the York Lions Warrior Award for their dedication and commitment to the football team and for embodying the characteristics of perseverance, honour, integrity and passion. The recipients this year were Mitchell Fraser, Chris Kolankowski, Emerson Morassutti, Michael Runowski and Small.

Weekend wrap: Track and field Lions win five medals, finish fifth at OUA championships

Lions Track and Field
Lions Track and Field

The York University Lions men’s and women’s track and field teams both finished in fifth place at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Toronto Track & Field Centre.

The two squads combined to win five medals at the meet, including two golds, two silvers and one bronze.

Jumping specialists Holly Pitters and Nicholas Fyffe both successfully defended their OUA titles from last year in the long jump and triple jump, respectively.

Sophomore multi-events specialist Kayden Johnson and second-year pole vaulter Samuel Adams each won silver medals in their respective events. More details on the York Lions website.

Men’s hockey Lions advance to OUA West final with big win over Gryphons

The York University Lions men’s hockey team scored five times in the second period en route to a 6-2 victory over the University of Guelph Gryphons on Thursday, Feb. 23 in game  two of their OUA West semifinal series at Gryphon Centre Arena.

The win gives the Lions their second straight series sweep and moves them into the OUA West finals next week.

The Gryphons dominated play for much of the first period, outshooting the Lions 12-7, but York rookie goaltender Mack Shields was tremendous between the pipes to keep every shot out of the net and the game remained scoreless after one. More details.

In game one of the best-of-three series, the Lions twice erased a one-goal deficit en route to a 3-2 victory. Trailing 2-1 after two periods of play, the Lions scored twice in the first two minutes of the third period to take their first lead of the game. After that the Lions locked down defensively and rookie goaltender Shields stood tall in net to earn the victory. More details.

Women’s volleyball Lions upset No. 10 Mustangs in final regular-season game

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team capped its 2016-17 regular season with a thrilling five-set victory over the No. 10 nationally ranked Western University Mustangs on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

In the opening set of the match both the Mustangs and the Lions remained stout. Each team raced up the scoreboard and neither could gain much separation from one another. Melissa Monkhouse began the momentum swing for her Lions when she unleashed a powerful kill that gave them their 19th point while also igniting the crowd to thunderous applause.

Sarah Williams helped bring the Lions to the clinching point with an unreturnable fastball. Celeste Witzell would turn out to be the set’s hero as she stymied the Mustangs’ scoring attempt with a towering block to clinch the 25-22 victory. More details.

It was a big weekend for the Lions as the previous night, they earned a 3-1 win over the University of Windsor Lancers to clinch a playoff spot after missing out last year.

In the opening set, the Lions were all about their business as they established a large lead fast, streaking to a 20-9 advantage with virtually no speed bumps. For the final point of the match the Lancers would serve the Lions the victory as they sent their own serve into the net to end the set with a score of 25-12. More details.

Men’s volleyball Lions clinch first place in OUA East with victory over Lancers

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team clinched the top spot in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East Division on Friday, Feb. 24 with a four-set win over the University of Windsor Lancers at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

In the beginning of the first set, the Lancers kept the red-hot Lions in check until Alex Duncan-Thibault launched a guided missile that hugged the inside of the sideline. Following this, a big block by Robert Thompson set the Lions into a heavy 19-13 advantage. More details.

The following night, the Lions capped a tremendous regular season by earning their tenth straight victory, picking up a straight-sets win over the Western University Mustangs.

To begin the opening frame of the match, the Lions and the Mustangs played ping pong with each other. Both teams were extending rallies and scoring by any means necessary. With the back and forth battle heading into the end of the set, Toure Nwakwesi would use his massive 6-foot-5 frame to block shots and hit the ball with immense force.

With the score now sitting at 24-22, a long rally ensued and Duncan-Thibault denied the Mustangs with a huge block to give the Lions the early lead in the match. More details.

Women’s basketball Lions fall to Rams in first round of OUA playoffs

The York University Lions women’s basketball team was defeated by a score of 78-52 by the Ryerson University Rams in their opening round OUA playoff series at the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

The Rams, who are the defending Critelli Cup champions, came out firing in the first quarter and led 16-6 after the opening 10 minutes. The Lions played a much stronger game through to the end, but could not close the gap that had developed in the first.

After scoring only six points in the first, the Lions put up 18 in the second to cut a 20-point deficit into just 12 at the half. Despite continued strong play, the Rams continued to pour in the points, outscoring the Lions 21-15 in the third and 21-13 in the fourth to cruise to the big win. More details.

Lions set to battle with Gryphons in second round of OUA playoffs

hockey playoffs
hockey playoffs

The York University Lions men’s hockey team will be looking to continue advancing through the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) playoffs this week when the puck drops on second-round action against the Guelph Gryphons.

The second-seeded Lions will once again have home ice advantage against the fourth-seeded Gryphons, and will host Game 1 on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7pm at Canlan Ice Sports. Game 2 is set for the evening of Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Gryphon Centre, with Game 3 (if necessary) scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25 back at Canlan.

The Lions are coming off a sweep of the Lakehead Thunderwolves in the first round of the playoffs last week. The No. 9 nationally ranked squad won its first post-season series since 2004 by defeating the Thunderwolves 3-2 in Thunder Bay, Ont., in the first game of the series, and then 3-1 back on home ice in Game 2.

Guelph also needed just two games to dispatch the Brock Badgers in their first round series. After winning the first convincingly by a score of 5-1, they pulled off a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2 to eliminate the Badgers.

Under sophomore head coach Chris Dennis, the Lions put together a strong regular season, finishing with an 18-6-4 record and 40 points, nine points ahead of Guelph and its 15-12-1 record.

The two squads met twice this year, with the Lions posting 3-1 victories in each game. The first, on the road in mid October, was an upset over a Gryphons squad that was then ranked No. 10 in U SPORTS, and the second came on home ice in early January.

The Lions’ success this year can be largely attributed to their strong defensive play. They finished the regular season ranked first in the OUA with only two goals allowed per game, and they continued that trend in the first round by giving up only three goals in two games. Rookie goaltender Mack Shields (Saskatoon, Sask.) was in net for both playoff wins and in the regular season finished first in the OUA in save percentage (1.78) and second in goals against average (.930) and league wins (13).

Up front, rookie forward Scott Feser (Red Deer, Alta.) led all Lions with three points in the first round, including the series-clinching goal in Game 2 and the tying goal in Game 1 that erased a 2-0 deficit. Fellow first-year player Daniel Nikandrov (Richmond Hill, Ont.) scored the opening-game winner with 5.3 seconds remaining and had an assist in the series as well.

Guelph’s Marc Stevens and Cody Thompson both recorded three points in their series against the Badgers. Stevens scored in each game and added an assist in the second, while Thompson scored in Game 2 and also had two assists.

All three games can be watched live online on OUA.tv.

Lions win two gold medals at OUA fencing championships

fencing
fencing

The York University Lions men’s fencing team finished in fifth place at the Ontario Universities Athletics (OUA) championships in St. Catharines, Ont., this past weekend thanks to two gold-medal performances.

The result was a significant improvement over the 11th-place finish by the team last year.

Adrien Sparling, in his first season with the Lions, put on a show in the men’s sabre competitions to win a pair of gold medals. He finished first in the individual event to capture the Schwende-Tully Trophy and joined with teammates Naufal Rafi Antares, Christopher Dani and David Remisch to also win the men’s team sabre relay.

Sparling was also named an OUA all-star, becoming York’s first recipient of the honour since Bob Berke was recognized in 1997.

The men’s sabre team relay final produced the most exciting finish of the day as the Lions won their first team medal since 1986 by defeating the Toronto Varsity Blues by a score of 45-44.

The Varsity Blues went on to win the OUA banner, their second in a row, while the Carleton Ravens won the team silver medal and the RMC Paladins picked up the bronze.

Final Standings
Gold – Toronto, 254 points
Silver – Carleton, 230
Bronze – RMC, 173
4. Ryerson, 172
5. York, 149
6. Queen’s, 135
7. Western, 128
8. Brock, 96
9. Ottawa, 95
10. McMaster, 66
11. Trent, 1

Team Relay Men’s Sabre
Gold – York
Silver – Toronto
Bronze – RMC

Team Relay Men’s Foil
Gold – Carleton
Silver – Ottawa
Bronze – Ryerson

Team Relay Men’s Epee
Gold – Toronto
Silver – RMC
Bronze – Ryerson

Men’s Sabre
Gold (Schwende-Tully Trophy) – Adrien Sparling, York
Silver – William Kinney, Toronto
Bronze – Kenneth West, Queen’s

Men’s Foil
Gold (Charles Walter Trophy) – Samuel Hardwicke-Brown, Ryerson
Silver – Philip McCully, Carleton
Bronze – Geoffrey Devaney, Carleton

Men’s Epee
Gold (Desjarlais Trophy) – Colin Dale, Toronto
Silver – Zachary Zanussi, Carleton
Bronze – Dani Mansour, RMC

OUA All-stars
Colin Dale, Toronto
Geoff Devaney, Carleton
Patrick Fournier, Ottawa
Sam Hardwicke-Brow, Ryerson
William Kinney, Toronto
Dani Mansour, RMC
Phil McCully, Carleton

Adrien Sparling, York
Kenneth West, Queen’s
Garrett Whelan, RMC
Logan Wilford, Brock
Zac Zanussi, Carleton

Weekend wrap: Men’s volleyball Lions win huge match against Lakers, move into second place

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team recorded a huge 3-1 victory over the Nipissing University Lakers in North Bay, Ont., on Saturday afternoon to earn an important win in the standings and move into second place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East Division.

Needing a win over their northern rivals after losing to Nipissing earlier this year, the Lions came out strong and won their fourth straight to improve to 9-3 on the year.

The Lions were propelled to victory by the huge performances of Alex Duncan-Thibault, who recorded 18 kills and 24.5 points, and Robert Thompson, who recorded 10 and 13. More details on the York Lions website.

Track and field Lions compete strong at home, win 14 medals at York Open

The York University Lions track and field team had a strong showing at its home York Open meet, winning 14 medals at the Toronto Track and Field Centre this past weekend.

The women’s team claimed seven of those medals, led by fourth-year runner Mikeisha Bobb, who claimed three. She was the gold medallist in the 60m hurdles with a season-best time of 8.65 seconds, and won the bronze medal in the 300m with a time of 40.66 seconds. She ran the opening leg for the 4x200m relay team that crossed the finish line in second place and was joined on the podium by teammates Shania Payne, Nicolette Witherspoon and Stella Isaac.

The men’s team also finished the meet with seven medals, including three in individual field events. Nicholas Fyffe won the gold in the triple jump with a distance of 14.38 metres, while Mukonka Siakalenge set a new personal best with a distance of 13.49 metres to win the bronze medal and qualify for the OUA championships. More details.

Men’s hockey Lions wrap up road schedule with shootout loss to Lakers

The York University Lions men’s hockey team played its final road game of the regular season on Saturday in North Bay, Ont., and suffered a 3-2 shootout loss to the Nipissing University Lakers at Memorial Gardens.

The first 20 minutes would not provide enough time for either team to light up the scoreboard. It took all the way until 17:54 of the second period for Nipissing’s Colin Campbell to score the first goal of the game. This would be the first and only goal of the first two periods.

It took just over a minute into the third for the Lions’ Colton Vannucci to tie the game at one goal apiece. More details.

As part of their weekend trip to northern Ontario, the Lions also played in Sudbury, Ont., on Friday night and were defeated 3-2 in overtime by the Laurentian University Voyageurs. It took until 17:11 of the first period until a goal was scored, when Greg Milner found the back of the net to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. It was short-lived, however, as Dylan Fitze scored on the power play just four seconds before the end of the period to level the score at 1-1. More details.

Women’s basketball Lions let fourth-quarter lead slip away in loss to No. 8 Rams

The York University Lions women’s basketball team had a chance at an upset win, but ultimately fell by a score of 71-61 to the No. 8 nationally ranked Ryerson University Rams at the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Wednesday evening.

The Lions entered the contest riding a three-game winning streak and carried the momentum from that recent success into the start of this game. The two teams traded baskets early, until the Lions took the lead midway through the first quarter. By the end of the frame they were up 19-14. More details.

On Friday at the University of Toronto, the Lions were defeated 67-57 by the Varsity Blues. The game started out as a defensive, low-scoring affair with the Blues holding a narrow 11-9 advantage after the first quarter of play. The second played out in similar fashion, with the Blues again outscoring the Lions by two, and they held a 26-22 advantage at the half. More details.

Women’s volleyball Lions fall to fourth place in OUA East with loss to Lakers

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team took a trip north to face off against the Nipissing University Lakers for a Saturday afternoon showdown, and were swept in straight sets.

The Lions were fresh off a bye week and were facing a Lakers team that they had previously taken down in straight sets, and on Saturday Nipissing returned the favour to improve to 7-6 on the season and take over sole possession of third place in the OUA East standings. The Lions, meanwhile, fell to fourth place at 6-7 and are tied with the Queen’s Gaels with 12 points.

Early on in the opening set, the Lakers jumped out to a 11-5 lead. From this point forward, the Lions were playing a game of catch up and they were not able to completely bridge the gap. More details.

Women’s hockey Lions blanked by Badgers on the road

The York University Lions women’s hockey team was in St. Catharines, Ont., on Saturday night to face off against the Brock University Badgers and suffered a 3-0 defeat at Seymour-Hannah Arena.

This low-scoring contest saw most of its action within the first two periods. In the opening period the Badgers’ Kailey Peirson broke the games deadlock to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

Entering the second period York needed an answer; however, Brock pulled ahead again as the Badgers scored two more times in the period to cap off the game at 3-0. Both goals came from Annie Berg. More details.

Varsity Blues use big third quarter to defeat men’s basketball Lions

The York University Lions men’s basketball team led at the half but was outscored by 18 points in the third quarter en route to a 79-58 loss to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues at the Goldring Centre on Friday afternoon.

The Lions built an 8-2 lead early, but the Varsity Blues came storming back to take a three-point lead at the end of the first, at 18-15. The two teams traded the lead back and forth throughout the second quarter, and when the buzzer sounded on halftime the Lions held a one-point advantage, 31-30. More details.

The Lions were also defeated by a score of 79-53 by the No. 5 nationally ranked Ryerson University Rams on Wednesday night. The defending champion Rams, who now boast a sparkling 14-1 record on the season, were dominant in the first half to put the game out of reach early. A low-scoring first quarter resulted in a 13-6 lead for Ryerson, but they put up 29 points in the second quarter compared to just 10 for the Lions and led 42-16 at the half. More details.

Weekend wrap: Women’s basketball Lions run win streak to three with victory over Lakers

Lions Basketball Women
Lions Basketball Women

The York University Lions women’s basketball team escaped with a thrilling victory on Saturday night as they took down the Nipissing University Lakers by a score of 68-64 for their third straight win.

Outstanding performances by Katrina Collins-Samuels and Ishanaa Seupersadsingh were the catalysts for the completion of an absolute thriller and a great comeback after trailing by nine points in the third quarter.

With 26 seconds left, Collins-Samuels gave her team the lead with an astoundingly athletic three-point play. She finished with 14 points and five rebounds in the game, and the Lions are now in the midst of their longest winning streak of the season. The victory improved their record to 5-9 on the year. More details on the York Lions website.

On Friday night, the Lions held on down the stretch to pick up a 65-61 win over the Laurentian University Voyageurs. Trailing by three with time expiring in the fourth quarter, the Voyageurs attempted to advance the ball past half court. As the Laurentian forward effortlessly and obliviously advanced the ball, York’s Sandra Nagowska used her sleight of hand to pick-pocket and return the ball back into scoring position. Dribbling with the ball outside of the arc and the clock ticking down from 0:12, Nagowska found and fed an awaiting Seupersadsingh for a quick layup and the game-icing points. More details.

Men’s hockey Lions defeat Thunderwolves again for fourth straight victory

The No. 10 nationally ranked York University Lions men’s hockey team picked up its fourth straight victory on Saturday night with a 3-2 win over the Lakehead University Thunderwolves at Memorial Gardens in Thunder Bay, Ont.

The Lions have now played in five straight one-goal games and have improved their record to 17-6-2. They sit comfortably in second place with 36 points, seven ahead of third-place Windsor.

The Lions wasted little time getting on the board as defenceman Derek Sheppard scored just 90 seconds into the contest for an early 1-0 lead. More details.

As part of the trip north, the two teams also played on Friday night, with the Lions pulling out a 2-1 double overtime victory. The winning tally came off the stick of Dexter Bricker, who scored at 2:07 of the second extra frame to secure the important second point in the standings.

Just over eight minutes into the game, Billy Jenkins scored to give the Thunderwolves a quick 1-0 lead. The Lions outshot Lakehead 18-11 but could not beat goaltender Devin Green. More details.

Men’s volleyball Lions riding three-game win streak after defeating Waterloo and Guelph

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team continued its strong season this weekend with a pair of victories over the University of Waterloo Warriors and University of Guelph Gryphons on the road.

Alex Duncan-Thibault was dominant in both matches, putting up 21.5 points in each to carry his squad to victory. The Lions have now won three in a row and eight of their last nine after starting the season 0-2.

Against the Warriors, the Lions grabbed the first set 25-22 but then took their foot off the gas and allowed the Warriors back in. Waterloo took full advantage and evened the match at one set apiece with a 25-15 win. More details.

Women’s volleyball Lions fall to Warriors and Gryphons in weekend action

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team suffered a pair of losses in road action this weekend, falling to the University of Waterloo Warriors 3-1 and the University of Guelph Gryphons 3-0.

Against the Warriors on Saturday, the Lions took the first set 25-21 and led the second set 16-13 at the technical timeout, but momentum soon shifted over to the Warriors and they held on down the stretch to take the set 26-24.

From there it was all Waterloo, as they took the third set 25-12 and the fourth 25-21 for the victory. More details.

Men’s basketball Lions lose heartbreaker in final minute to Lakers

The York University Lions men’s basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 65-63 loss to the Nipissing University Lakers on Saturday night at the Tait McKenzie Centre after the visitors scored the go-ahead points in the final seconds of the game.

The Lions jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a huge block in the opening minutes from Jayden Frederick, which energized his teammates to start dominating early. In the first quarter alone, Frederick recorded 12 points and he would finish the game with 22 points while also recording eight rebounds. The Lions exited the first period of play with a 25-12 lead. More details.

The Lions also lost a 79-58 decision to the Laurentian University Voyageurs thanks to a highly-effective shooting day by the Voyageurs. The high-flying Frederick contributed with his seven points in the first half. However, it wasn’t enough to extinguish a hot half of shooting for the Voyageurs. More details.

Track and field Lions post impressive results at Saginaw Valley State Invitational

The York University Lions track and field team posted a number of impressive results, including nine podium finishes, at the Jet’s Pizza Invitational hosted by Saginaw Valley State University in Saginaw, Michigan.

Leading the way was Mikeisha Bobb, who won three medals and set a new personal best in one event. She won the gold medal in the 200m and the 60m hurdles, setting a personal best time of 25.15 seconds in the first event and with a time of 8.71 seconds in the other.

In addition to Bobb’s gold medals, long jumper Holly Pitters continued her strong season with another first-place finish in the event. She won with a distance of 5.99 metres, which set a new fieldhouse record. Pitters wasn’t the only jumping gold medallist as Nicholas Fyffe accomplished the same feat, winning the men’s triple jump with a distance of 14.78 metres, good enough to surpass the U SPORTS standard for this year’s championships. More details.

Weekend wrap: Pitters sets school record to win gold at Can Am Classic

Holly Pitters set a new school record in the long jump
Holly Pitters set a new school record in the long jump

Fourth-year York University Lions jumper Holly Pitters set a new school record in the long jump on Saturday to win the gold medal in the event at the Can Am Classic in Windsor, Ont.

Holly Pitters set a new school record in the long jump
Holly Pitters set a new school record in the long jump

Pitters recorded a new personal-best distance of 6.11 metres to finish in first place by more than 40 centimetres over the rest of the field. The mark was also good enough to surpass the automatic qualifying standard for the upcoming U SPORTS championships later this season.

Also reaching the podium at the Can Am Classic was Mikeisha Bobb, who raced to bronze in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.73 seconds. Bobb also had another top-five finish at the meet with a fifth-place showing in the 300m in a time of 40.69 seconds. More details on the York Lions website.

Women’s hockey Lions explode for six goals in victory over Ridgebacks

The York University Lions women’s hockey team travelled to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) to face off in a Sunday afternoon battle and leaned on a huge first period where three goals were scored to coast to a huge 6-2-road win over the Ridgebacks.

Just over two minutes into the opening period, the Lions drew first blood. First-year forward Christina Chin scored a goal at 2:03 with the assists credited to Kelsey McHolm and Jenna Gray. Only two minutes later, the Ridgebacks got on the board themselves, but at 12:21 of the frame Chin beat the goaltender for the second time in the period. More details.

The win came one day after a heartbreaking defeat to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in which the Blues scored with only 29 seconds remaining for a 2-1 victory. Third-year York forward Chelsea Tucker scored her first of the season at 16:44 of the final period to equal the score at 1-1. Just when it looked as though the game would go to overtime, Becki Bowering found the back of the net to steal the win for the Blues. More details.

Men’s basketball Lions get back into win column with victory over Blues

Two streaks came to an end on Friday afternoon as the York University Lions men’s basketball team earned a big 79-68 victory over the cross-town rival University of Toronto Varsity Blues at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The result snapped both a six-game losing skid by the Lions and a four-game winning streak the Blues carried into the contest. The Lions improved to 3-6 on the year and stole an important two points from their Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East Division rivals, while the Blues dropped to 7-4 this season.

The Lions led from wire-to-wire and wasted no time pulling ahead, scoring the first seven points of the contest and leading 19-13 after the first quarter. The home team continued to pull ahead in the second, outscoring the Blues 29-14, and carried a commanding 48-27 advantage into halftime. More details.

The next day, the Lions led at the half but were ultimately defeated 69-52 by the No. 3 nationally ranked Ryerson University Rams. In the first quarter, second-year guard Jayden Frederick worked fast to get comfortable behind the arc as he hit two three-point shots in the opening three minutes of the game. The baskets added six points to the Lions’ 10-point quarter. More details.

Women’s volleyball Lions sweep Excalibur for sixth win of the season

The York University Lions women’s volleyball team hit the court on Sunday afternoon and recorded a straight sets victory over the Trent University Excalibur at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The first set of the match set the tone for what would be a quick and efficient game for the Lions. York’s power hitting was on full display by Sarah Williams. She tallied five kills in just the first set and would finish the game with 12. One great play after another, the Lions hit 25 points with only 12 scored on them. More details.

On Saturday, the Lions let a 2-1 advantage slip away on Saturday afternoon with a 3-2 loss to the Ryerson University Rams at the Tait McKenzie Centre. The Rams took the first set 25-21 and led early in the second set, but the Lions came roaring back to take the set 25-23 and level the match. More details.

Men’s volleyball Lions defeat Excalibur in straight sets

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team knocked off the Trent University Excalibur on Sunday afternoon in straight sets at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

The sweeping victory gave the Lions their sixth win of the season and highlighted many great individual performances. The Lions had a quick start in the game and jumped up on the Excalibur to gain a significant lead that they would not relinquish.

With Trent’s six errors in the first set, the Lions road became much easier. Logan Mend set seven of York’s 10 kills in the first set and recorded an impressive 18 assists in the game. After a quick run to 25, the Lions took the set by a score of 25-12. More details.

On Saturday, the Lions had their five-game winning streak snapped by the Ryerson University Rams in a five-set loss on home court. The match was a tight affair that saw three of the five sets go past the end in order to determine a winner.

The Rams raced out to a big lead early in the first set and were up 16-10 at the technical timeout, but the Lions came all the way back to level the score at 23-23 and they stole the set by a score of 27-25. More details.

Lancers edge men’s hockey Lions in low-scoring affair

The York University Lions men’s hockey team was narrowly defeated by a score of 1-0 by the University of Windsor Lancers at South Windsor Arena on Saturday night.

The Lions dominated for much of the game, controlling possession and getting numerous scoring opportunities, but they could not get the puck past Windsor goaltender Kris Joyce. He made 37 saves, including 16 in the third period alone when the Lions desperately tried to find the back of the net. More details.

No. 6 Rams use big first half to defeat women’s basketball Lions

The York University Lions women’s basketball team returned to the court on Saturday night to square off against the No. 6 nationallyranked Ryerson University Rams, and after four quarters of play the Lions fell in defeat by a score of 64-51.

The Rams struck fast out of the gate and jumped up to an early 9-0 lead. York’s Nina Guzina recorded four points in the opening quarter as she hit two free throws and a jump shot. However, the Rams played exceptional defence and ended the quarter with a 21-12 lead. More details.

On Friday, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues defeated the Lions by a score of 78-48 in York’s inaugural school day game with hundreds of local children in attendance.

The atmosphere was electric as the cross-town rivals battled it out on the court. The first quarter was a tight affair in which neither team pulled ahead by more than three points, and Toronto led by just one point, 12-11, at the end of the frame. More details.

El-Nahas wins bronze at Brock Open

York University Lions wrestler Mohab El-Nahas won the bronze medal in the men’s 90kg weight class at the Brock Open in St. Catharines, Ont., on Saturday.

El-Nahas defeated former U SPORTS bronze medallist Clayton Pye from the Brock Badgers in the bronze-medal match to put himself on the podium. The victory also avenged an earlier loss to Pye in their first match of the tournament. More details.

Weekend wrap: Men’s hockey Lions defeat Gryphons, move into first in OUA West

The York University Lions men’s hockey team used a huge second period by its offensive attack to record a 3-1 victory over the visiting University of Guelph Gryphons at Canlan Ice Sports in a rare Sunday afternoon affair.

With the victory, the Lions moved to 13-5-2 on the season and took over first place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West Division with 28 points, one more than the Ryerson University Rams. The Gryphons slipped to 10-8-0 with the loss.

After a scoreless first period, Steven Janes lit up the scoreboard for the first time in the game at the 9:39 mark of the second after a deadly wrist shot hit the top right shelf from the left slot. Shayne Rover was credited with the assist. More details on the York Lions website.

One night earlier, the Lions doubled up the host Western University Mustangs in a 4-2 victory at Thompson Arena in London, Ont. The Lions scored twice in a 93-second span in the middle of the first period to open up a 2-0 lead, and they extended it to three just minutes into the second. More details.

Women’s basketball Lions pick up second win with victory over Mustangs

The York University Lions women’s basketball team started the new year off with a bang on Saturday. The Lions travelled to London, Ont., to square off with the Western University Mustangs and left the court victorious by a score of 48-41.

The Lions’ best basketball came straight out of the gate as they scored 14 points while holding the Mustangs to just seven in the first quarter. Shauney Fischer led the charge with an outstanding seven points in the quarter. Her great play in the opening frame pushed her to her best game of the season as she would end the game with a double-double, totalling 20 points and 10 rebounds. More details.

The Lions also suffered an 80-46 loss to the No. 7 nationally ranked University of Windsor Lancers in their first game of the new year on Friday night.

The Lancers, who are the five-time defending U Sports champions, jumped out to a 17-6 lead after the first quarter of play and didn’t look back. They outscored the Lions 19-11 in the second, 19-16 in the third and 25-13 in the fourth to record the lopsided victory. More details.

Women’s hockey Lions hold off Golden Hawks with shootout victory

The York University Lions women’s hockey team bounced back after allowing a late third-period goal to earn a 3-2 shootout victory over the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks in Waterloo, Ont., on Sunday night.

The Lions took a 2-1 lead at 14:16 of the final frame on a power play goal by team captain Amy Locke, and looked like they were going to hold on for the win. But with less than two minutes remaining, the Golden Hawks tied the game when Jaden Head found the back of the net. After two scoreless overtime frames, the shootout went to a fourth round before a winner was determined. More details.

On Saturday afternoon the Lions suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of the University of Waterloo Warriors. The contest began as a tight affair with the two teams trading goals in the first period. Waterloo opened the scoring at the midpoint of the frame on a goal by Rebecca Rutherford, but the Lions responded less than four minutes later when Sarah Power scored the first of her career to make it 1-1. More details.

Ramirez records second straight 30-point game in men’s basketball Lions loss to Mustangs

The York University Lions men’s basketball team returned to the court in London, Ont., as they faced off against the Western University Mustangs. The Lions fell short of the victory as the Mustangs took the game 81-71.

Brandon Ramirez continued his unstoppable play for the second straight night as he scored nine points to open up the game. Ramirez would total 34 points on the night while also recording eight rebounds and has now started 2017 with back-to-back 30-plus point games. However, Western would outscore the Lions 27-12 in the first quarter. More details.

Ramirez also had a double-double one night earlier in an 83-78 loss to the University of Windsor Lancers, recording 31 points and 15 rebounds and shooting 13-of-19 from the floor. After falling behind 24-10 in the first quarter and trailing 64-48 after three, the Lions staged a furious comeback in the fourth and closed the score to within four with 11 seconds remaining, but they ran out of time before they could catch the Lancers. More details.

Track and field Lions win 10 medals at Sharon Anderson Memorial meet

Mikeisha Bobb won the gold medal in the women’s 60m hurdles at the Sharon Anderson Memorial meet at the University of Toronto, one of 10 medals won by the York University Lions track and field team on Saturday.

Bobb, a fourth-year runner from London, Ont., ran 8.91 seconds in the final to cross the finish line in first place. She also ran a time of 8.83 seconds in the preliminaries. Teammate Meira Dholakia joined Bobb on the podium in the event, winning the bronze medal in a time of 9.79 seconds. More details.

Men’s volleyball Lions win bronze, Nipissing gold at Excalibur Classic

The Nipissing University Lakers men’s volleyball team won the gold medal at the 38th Excalibur Classic on Sunday afternoon at the Tait McKenzie Centre with a 3-2 win over the Western University Mustangs, while the host York University Lions won the bronze.

The Lakers, who captured the tournament trophy for the first time, went undefeated in four matches on the weekend. They claimed the gold in thrilling fashion, holding on after relinquishing a two-set lead to win in five by scores of 25-21, 25-19, 18-25, 17-25, 15-12.

Nipissing also earned a five-set win over the Lions in their first round-robin match and swept both Budo and the Queen’s University Gaels in straight sets en route to the final. More details.

Annual Excalibur Volleyball Classic kicks off Thursday

The York University Lions men’s volleyball team will begin 2017 by welcoming three other Ontario University Athletics (OUA) squads and a team from Japan to the Tait McKenzie Centre for the 38th annual Excalibur Volleyball Classic, Jan. 5 to 8.

The action begins on Thursday, Jan. 5, with the host Lions (5-2) facing Budo University at 9pm. Also competing in the tournament are the Nipissing Lakers (5-1), the Queen’s Gaels (5-4) and the Western Mustangs (3-3). Preliminary round games continue on Friday and Saturday, with the bronze- and gold-medal games set for Sunday.

Visit yorkulions.ca/excaliburclassic for a full tournament schedule.

The action on the court promises to be intense as five high-calibre teams compete for the gold medal. The four OUA teams will also be looking for success they can build upon as they enter the second half of the season and, eventually, the playoffs later this semester.

The host Lions are the defending champions of the tournament after winning the gold medal last year, their first at the event since 1989 and their second overall Excalibur title. The Mustangs were the champions in 2015, which was their third title in five years, while Queen’s last won the trophy in 2002 and was also victorious in 1999. The Lakers are still looking for their first title.

Budo University is making its third appearance at the tournament, having previously travelled to Toronto to play at York in 2011 and 2013. The Lions also played against Budo in August 2012 as part of a team trip to Japan.

The Lions, Lakers and Gaels are all part of a three-way tie for second place in the OUA East Division after the first half of the season with 10 points apiece, while the Mustangs play in the OUA West and sit third with six points.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Tait McKenzie Centre prior to each game. Prices are $5 for each individual game and $25 for a family tournament pass (five family members).

Past champions:

  • 2016    York
  • 2015    Western
  • 2014    Laval
  • 2013    Ryerson
  • 2012    Western
  • 2011    Western
  • 2010    Laval
  • 2009    Dalhousie
  • 2008    Dalhousie
  • 2007    Manitoba
  • 2006    Manitoba
  • 2005    Ryerson
  • 2004    Ryerson
  • 2003    Laval
  • 2002    Queen’s
  • 2001    Toronto
  • 2000    Trinity Western
  • 1999    Queen’s
  • 1998    Tskuba (Japan)
  • 1997    Sherbrooke
  • 1996    Laval
  • 1995    Manitoba
  • 1994    Laval
  • 1993    Montreal
  • 1992    McMaster
  • 1991    Calgary
  • 1990    Manitoba
  • 1989    York
  • 1988    Penn State
  • 1987    Winnipeg
  • 1986    Penn State
  • 1985    Manitoba
  • 1984    Ball State
  • 1983    Manitoba
  • 1982    Alberta
  • 1981    Penn State
  • 1980    Penn State