The York University Lions have three teams in the mix for playoff spots, and they will all look to solidify those positions this weekend.
The Lions football team pulled off a massive come-from-behind win over the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday to firmly entrench themselves in the OUA playoff picture. Avery Ford, the latest York male athlete of the week, went off for 123 yards on eight catches, and a pair of touchdowns.
Meanwhile, female athlete of the week Juliet Redelaar the field hockey team earned a pair of victories over the McGill Martlets – helped by four goals from Redelaar – and will look to do something Wednesday night the program has not done in 44 years.
The men's hockey team returned to the ice last weekend for the first time, dropping a pair of games in Kingston, first against the RMC Paladins, 2-1, on Friday night followed by the Queen's Gaels, 6-3, on Saturday. The Lions scored the opening goal in Saturday's game and battled back from 4-1 down to make it a one-goal game late before Queen's added a pair of late goals.
Another team in the mix for postseason hopes, women's rugby, were unable to clinch a spot in the dance after a tough loss to Toronto – the team York was chasing for the sixth and final playoff berth – on Saturday evening in senior night at Alumni Field.
Here's what's happening in the den this week:
TENNIS
The Lions tennis teams will compete for an OUA banner this weekend as they head from their usual home of Mayfair Club – West to Mayfair Club – East for the OUA championships. The Lions women's team will be a force to be reckoned with after going 7-2 during the regular season. They will play Western in the quarter-final on Friday at 9:30 am while the men's team, which went 5-4 during regular season play, will meet McMaster in the quarters at 10:30 am.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY
The Lions women's hockey team takes to the ice for the season opener Wednesday morning against the TMU Bold, before hosting the Nipissing Lakers in a rematch of a stunning Round 1 upset from last spring in the home opener Saturday night. The Lions are looking to build off an improbable playoff run that saw them come within a period of the national championship. Check out the season preview for more on what is an exciting mix of veteran leaders and young talent on this Lions team. Wednesday's game goes at 11:15 am from the Mattamy Athletic Centre, while puck drop Saturday night is set for 7:15 pm. You can stream both games on OUA TV get your tickets to Saturday's game here.
FIELD HOCKEY
In case you haven't noticed, the Lions field hockey team is good – as in, really good. The Lions are 6-0, and haven't allowed a goal through those opening six games, while scoring 30. They now get set to play the Toronto Varsity Blues this week in a rematch of the last two OUA championships. There is a lot on the line in these two games, as they will essentially determine the host team for the OUA Final Four, set to take place Oct. 26-27 at the home of the top seed in the OUA. Right now, York and Toronto are both undefeated, but Toronto has one less win thanks to a season-opening draw against Queens. If York wins both matches this week, they will clinch the OUA's top seed. If they win one, they would need at most one win in their final two games to clinch. If both teams end in draws, York could not lose each of its final two games and earn the top seed, and would likely need at least a win and a draw to finish first. Also on the line in this game is a program record that has stood the test of time for more than four decades. If the Lions win by shutout on Wednesday night, they will set a program record for most consecutive shutouts with seven. The current mark of six has now been done three times: 2024, 1980 and 1979. Ironically the other two ocassions prior to this year were also to start the season. Wednesday night's game at Toronto is at 7:00 pm, before the sides reconvene Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm from Alumni Field. Admission to Sunday's game is free.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
The Lions women's soccer has clinched a playoff berth after missing for the first time in a decade last year, but a good showing this weekend will serve them well for playoff seeding. They can finish as high as third with a pair of wins and a McMaster loss, on the final weekend and as low as fifth with two losses – or a loss and a draw – and two Windsor wins. Most likely, however, they will finish fourth and host a playoff match against either the Lancers or Golden Hawks, who play each other to wrap up the regular season. The Lions will first face OUA West-leading Western in London on Friday night in a tough test, before hosting the Brock Badgers on Sunday afternoon. You can get your tickets to Sunday's match here or stream on OUA TV.
MEN'S SOCCER
The path towards the postseason is a just as merky for the men's team. The Lions can finish no lower than third in the OUA West, and the only scenario that happens are two York losses and a McMaster win this weekend. Any other scenario clinches, at worst, second place and a first round bye. A win by York against Western means York will clinch the top seed in the division by virtue of owning the tiebreaker over McMaster. However, if York loses to Western and beats Brock, they would need Western to lose its final game to finish in top spot. They can also finish first in the division with two draws if McMaster loses or draws its final match against Waterloo. The potential of a three-way tie exists where Western, McMaster and York all finish at 8-2-2. In that scenario, seeding would be determined by the records of all three teams in head-to-head competition, which can vary based on the result of the Western-York game, which goes Friday at 8:15 pm. In the shadow of that game which will go a long way in determining top spot in the West, the Lions play the Brock Badgers in the season finale on senior day Sunday afternoon. You can get your tickets to Sunday's game here and stream the matches live on OUA TV.
FOOTBALL
The football team took the latest step in trying to return to the OUA playoffs for the first time in two decades last week, and now faces arguably its toughest yet in the Guelph Gryphons. Guelph comes in having just beaten the previously-undefeated Windsor Lancers in a shootout last Saturday, and are now 5-2 on the season. Guelph boasts a dynamic offence, averaging almost 35 points per game. Defensively, the allow nearly 26, so the Lions will have to take advantage of their scoring opportunities after posting their best offensive output of the season with 39 points in Week 7. The game goes Friday night at 7:00 pm on Senior Night at York Lions Stadium. You can get your tickets here and stream on OUA TV.
MEN'S HOCKEY
Following a pair of road losses to kick off the season, the men's hockey team looks to get back in the win column with the beginning of their home schedule. They host the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, who split their first two games, losing to Ottawa and beating Carleton, on Friday night at Canlan Ice Sports. They then welcome in that Ottawa Gee-Gees team in a Sunday matinee as a pre-turkey appetizer. Ottawa comes in having beaten the Ridgebacks and TMU Bold in their first two games. You can get your tickets to both games here and stream both on OUA TV.
CROSS-COUNTRY
The Lions final meet before the OUA championships takes place on Friday from Hamilton, as they head to Kay Drage Park for the annual Bayfront Open. The Lions will look to improve upon an 8th-place finish at the Don Mills Open in Waterloo before they travel to North Bay for the OUA championships on Oct. 26.
NON-CONFERENCE GAMES
Wednesday, Oct. 9
MBB: Western at York (7:00 pm (Tait McKenzie Centre)
Thursday, Oct. 10
WBB: Memorial at York (5:00 pm – Tait McKenzie Centre)
Friday, Oct. 11
WBB: Dalhousie at York (12:00 pm – Tait McKenzie Centre)
Saturday, Oct. 12
MBB: Memorial at York (7:00 pm – Tait McKenzie Centre)
