UVic women’s field hockey team wins national championship

On Saturday, Uvic’s field hockey team took home the U Sports McCrae Cup, the first time the team has done so since 2008.

The Vikes were facing off against Toronto’s York University Lions, and won the intense game with a 3-1 victory.

“We had a reunion with the 2008 team earlier this year and the one thing they passed onto us was it’s not necessarily about the winning, it’s about the friendships you develop,” said Vikes head coach Lynne Beecroft to U Sports after the game

“This group will live together forever. They’ve got along so well all year and we played a good team game in both games here. Everybody did their part, I can’t single out one player who stood out from our team because they all played great.”

The Vikes had a strong 2-0 lead during the first half of the game before ultimately ending with one more goal from either side.

UVic’s Emily Wong, a midfielder, was named both the tournament’s MVP and the match’s Player of the Game.

Earlier this year, the team was also recognized by Canada West Field Hockey for its exceptional players. Anna Mollenhauer was named the Canada West Field Hockey Player of the Year and Anne-Sophie Hannes was awarded Rookie of the Year, while goalkeeper Robin Fleming and Emily Wong were added to the all-star list.

This year’s national victory marks the 12th time the university has claimed the title in the past 34 years.