The University of Victoria women’s field hockey team completed the “three-peat” as Canada West Field Hockey Champions, finishing the Canada West regular season with an unbeaten 7-0-1 record to claim the conference title for the third-straight season.
BY THE NUMBERS
22 – The total number of Canada West Championships won by the Vikes with their 2021 title.
4 – Number of games played, and won, by the Vikes in the tournament – for the second time this season.
3 – Number of Vikes that recorded two-goal performances (Mittelsteadt x2, Mollenhauer, and Langkammer).
2 – Number of shutouts posted by goalkeeper Robin Fleming.
1 – The highest number of goals conceded by the Vikes in a single game the entire season.
THOUGHTS FROM HEAD COACH LYNNE BEECROFT
“I thought our team played extremely well this weekend,” began Beecroft. “Playing four games in three days is tough, especially ending with two games on Sunday. We look forward to continued growth over the next two weeks before heading to nationals.”
GAME ONE: Victoria 6, Calgary 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
28th Minute – UVic 1, CGY 0
- Madeline Mittelsteadt broke the stalemate late in the second quarter, putting the Vikes on the board.
39th Minute – UVic 2, CGY 0
- Mittelsteadt would quickly add a second in the game, doubling the Vikes’ lead with a goal in the third quarter.
44th Minute – UVic 3, CGY 0
- Securing her first goal of the season, Stefanie Sajko successfully scored for the Vikes on a penalty corner.
50th Minute – UVic 4, CGY 0
- Anna Mollenhauer would score her first goal of the tournament on a penalty corner in the fourth quarter, extending the Vikes’ lead.
56th Minute – UVic 5, CGY 0
- Ashton Aumen netted her second goal of the season in the final five minutes of play.
58th Minute – UVic 6, CGY 0
- Mollenhauer would score her second goal of the game in the closing minutes.
WORTH NOTING
- Stefanie Sajko netted her first goal of the season in the win.
- Mittelstead and Mollenhauer each recorded two-goal performances to open the tournament.
- The Vikes defeated the Dinos by a score of 6-0 for the second time this season.
- Robin Fleming posted her fourth shutout of the season to open the tournament.
GAME TWO: Victoria 1, UBC 1 (4-1 UVic)
HOW IT HAPPENED
44th Minute – UBC 1, UVic 0
- Nearly through a full three quarters without seeing a goal, the Thunderbirds scored in the final minute of the third to take a one-goal lead.
48th Minute – UVic 1, UBC 1
- Earning a penalty corner as a result of good pressure, a layoff option to the left was struck hard at the net, with the UBC goalkeeper making a good initial save. Nora Struchtrup was there to scoop up the rebound, pushing it over the goal line to equalize.
SHOOTOUT – UVic 4, UBC 1
- Melanie Robertson – Goal / UBC – No Goal – 1-0 UVic
- Stefanie Sajko – Goal / UBC – Goal – 2-1 UVic
- Struchtrup – Goal / UBC – No Goal – 3-1 UVic
- Anna Mollenhauer – Goal – 4-1 UVic, Final
WORTH NOTING
- With UBC striking first in game two, that was the first time this season the Vikes had trailed in a game.
- The win improved Victoria to 6-0-0 on the season, clinching the top record in the conference and Canada West crown with two games to go.
GAME THREE: Victoria 5, Calgary 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
2nd Minute – CGY 1, UVic 0
- Calgary was awarded an early penalty corner, coming away successful for the early lead.
4th Minute – UVic 1, CGY 1
- Madeline Mittelsteadt found the equalizer just two minutes later.
5th Minute – UVic 2, CGY 1
- Quickly earning a penalty corner, Nora Struchtrup scored the Vikes’ go-ahead goal.
6th Minute – UVic 3, CGY 1
- Chloe Langkammer broke through for the first time this tournament, netting UVic’s third goal of the game.
34th Minute – UVic 4, CGY 1
- Picking up her second goal, Mittelsteadt fired a shot past the Calgary goalkeeper to increase the Vikes’ lead.
58th Minute – UVic 5, CGY 1
- Also earning her second score of the contest, Langkammer found the back of the cage in the final minutes of play to help secure the Vikes’ win.
WORTH NOTING
- Reigning Canada West Player of the Week Langkammer collected her first goals of the tournament, her third two-goal performance of the season.
- Mittelsteadt picked up her second two-goal performance of the tournament and third of the season.
- The Vikes’ three goals in three minutes marked their quickest scoring sequence of the season.
GAME FOUR: Victoria 1, UBC 0
HOW IT HAPPENED
23rd Minute – UVic 1, UBC 0
- Nora Struchtrup netted the only goal of the contest in the second quarter. Despite being swarmed by UBC defenders, Struchtrup stayed composed and made a strong pass by the Thunderbirds’ goalkeeper that found the backboard just inside the far left post for the game-winner.
WORTH NOTING
- The Vikes finish the 2021 Canada West regular season undefeated at 8-0-0.
- Struchtrup proved to be the Thunderbirds’ kryptonite once again, having scored the lone goal again the UBC in both games this tournament.
- Vikes goalkeeper Robin Fleming finished the season with five total shutouts in eight games.
- UVic finished the season allowing no more than one goal in a single game the entire season, which was only on three occasions.
UP NEXT
The Vikes will head to Ontario to take on the OUA Champion in a best-of-three series for the 2021 U SPORTS title.