Blues Puck It Up
GEARING UP for next Sunday's Varsity match, The OU Women's Ice Hockey team played two league games this weekend, and finally found the scoring touch in their match against the Basingstoke Bears.
Despite missing four key players, the Blues played their best match of the season in their 7-4 loss to the Bears. After a season with only one goal, they found the net early in the first period. Winger Felicity Bulmer opened the scoring by flicking the puck past the Bears goalkeeper. The Blues bench went wild! The first line of Bulmer, Gordiz and Rothon were on fire three minutes later when Bulmer netted her second marker. Then Oxford's second line contributed for yet another marker at the end of the first period. Centre Seyler won a face-off deep in the Bears' end. Fedunkiw chipped the puck ahead to sniper Seyler who took a shot on the opposing goalie. The 'keeper made the save but rookie Kristina Duffin was there to claim her first goal on the rebound.
From the start of the second period, Basingstoke put out power lines to even the score. They increased the pressure on Blues goalie Kat Yates and ended the second period tied 3-3.
The Bears struck first in the final period with a goal in the first minute. But Oxford did not give up and Bulmer answered back with her third of the game at 33:38 on a pretty little pass from Roberts. Cummins went to the sin bin for tripping. The Blues killed off almost half of the penalty before the Bears went ahead 5-4 on the power play. Forwards Gunhild Paulsen, Rothon, Seyler and Gordiz worked hard, in both ends to try to even it up for the Blues but the Bears would scored two more to win the match 7-4.
In the other match of the weekend, Romford Nighthawks showed why they lead the league in their 26-0 win over the Blues. They wasted no time is setting the pace, setting up two pretty goals in the first three. At the first break, Coach Coyne told the Blues that they had to start marking players and challenging shooters, and that they could make a game of it.
The team then played with a different attitude for the next two periods. They kept Romford off the scoreboard in the first three minutes. Veteran defence Andy Cummins scored two penalties. Rookies Fok and Khan put in stellar effort on their first-ever away match. Goalkeeper Marianne Fedunkiw kept the Oxford squad's spirits up by narrating some of the shots, the most memorable of which was one where she juggled her own rebound three times before gracefully curtsying and trapping the puck in her pads.
The Blues will take on Cambridge in the Varsity match this Sunday in Peterborough. The opening face-off is scheduled for 5:30 pm. This year Oxford are looking to extend their consecutive victory streak to seven wins over the Light Blues. For those interested in supporting the squad, tickets are £6 and include admission and return coach travel from Oxford to Peterborough. E-mail helen.seyler@st-edmund-hall.ox.ac.uk for more information.
27th Feb 2003