Varsity Athletics | 10/25/2026 1:45:00 PM

Sunday October 24^th saw the best Field Hockey teams in the OUA take the field for championship Sunday at York's Alumni Field. The Bronze Medal game between the Guelph Gryphons and the Waterloo Warriors started at 11 AM EST with the Gold Medal game between the York Lions and the Toronto Varsity Blues scheduled for 1 PM EST.
 
Bronze Medal Match
 
Guelph and Waterloo both find themselves in the Bronze Medal game following 2-0 losses yesterday afternoon. The first quarter got underway and Waterloo put the pressure on early, breaking the tie with an early goal by Sierra Blackburn at 7:55 to put the Warriors up with an early 1-0 lead. Guelph tried to answer back as Sophie Pomeroy put a shot on net shortly after Waterloo's opening strike but was stopped by Warriors Goalkeeper Grace Miller. Both teams would trade possession as the first quarter ended with Waterloo up 1-0.

The second quarter started and Guelph immediately put their best foot forward, capitalizing early off a shot from Ella Rideout to tie the game 1-1. Shortly after, Sydney Blackburn was sent off with a green card, putting the Warriors down a player. On the ensuing advantage, Emily VanDyke registered a shot on net that was saved by Miller. Waterloo's Olivia Bullock shot one towards the net at the end of the quarter, but it was blocked before it could make it there as the Bronze Medal match headed into halftime tied 1-1.

The third quarter got underway and Waterloo applied the pressure early by forcing a penalty corner which led to shots on goal from Tiffany Binkle and Sarah Schnarr, both saved by Guelph goalkeeper Samantha Wright. Guelph responded by going down the field and generating a shot of their own from the stick of Harper Griffin but was turned away by Miller. Waterloo would generate a shot from Sierra Blackburn later in the frame, but it would be stopped by Wright. The third quarter would end still tied 1-1.

The fourth quarter started and Guelph applied the pressure early with a shot on goal from Harper Griffin that was stopped by Miller. Guelph would also generate a penalty corner later in the half that led to a Sophie Pomeroy shot that was saved and was followed up shortly after with a shot from Ella Rideout which she put wide. Waterloo responded with a shot of their own from Brooke Walsh that went just wide of the open cage. The fourth quarter ended with the score still tied 1-1 taking us into a shootout to decide the bronze medal winner.

The shootout went ten rounds total with both teams trading goals back and forth. In the tenth round, Liv Straus put Guelph up with Waterloo needing to match. Waterloo sent out Brooke Walsh to try and force an 11^th round. Walsh would not be able to get her shot off in time giving Guelph the Bronze Medal in the shootout.
 
Gold Medal Match
 
The York Lions and the Toronto Varsity Blues faced off on Sunday afternoon for the chance to be crowned OUA Field Hockey Champions. Toronto applied some pressure early, forcing a penalty corner but were unable to do anything with said corner. Toronto sustained pressure throughout the first ten minutes of the game but were unable to generate any shots. York was able to generate some solid rushes, with one leading to a shot from Avery Davis, but it was blocked before it could reach the net. The first quarter ended tied 0-0.

The second quarter got underway with York taking their turn applying pressure, as Mufarowashe Matambo registered on shot on net but that shot was saved by Toronto Goalkeeper Mary Yang. York kept pressuring forcing a penalty corner and Katie Tye also put a shot on net but was also stopped by Yang.  Juliet Redelaar was able to break free for a partial breakaway but could not find the net as her shot went wide. Both teams would trade rushes but would not be able to muster much else as they went into halftime tied 0-0.

The third quarter began with York applying some early pressure to Toronto and forcing an early penalty corner but were unable to make anything of the opportunity. York would force two more penalty corners but were unable to make anything happen with them again. Toronto then generated a solid rush opportunity, but had it stopped due to a green card to Ellie Mullins, putting Toronto down a player for two minutes. York immediately started to press as Abby Thompson fired a shot on net that was saved by Yang. Shortly after, Juliet Redelaar also registered a shot but was unable to find the net as it went wide. Toronto would generate some pressure but would be unable to manifest anything from it. Later in the frame, Elise Piper registered a shot but put it wide. The third quarter would end still scoreless in a 0-0 tie.

The fourth quarter got underway with the OUA Championship on the line as the gold medal game still awaited its first goal. Toronto finally registered their first shot of the game when Maddy Kim fired one on net, but Ella Ciesielski made a phenomenal kick save to keep the game tied 0-0. However, Toronto would not be kept at bay for long as Ava Airnes finally broke through with 7:35 left in the fourth to give Toronto a 1-0 lead and break the tie. York would try to respond after securing a penalty corner shortly after and would generate a solid scoring opportunity for Juliet Redelaar but her shot would be blocked before it could reach the net. York would have one last chance to tie the game after Maggie Mullins was given a yellow card with 13 seconds left. York would receive another penalty corner with no time on the clock and only the time for the penalty corner remaining. Katie Tye would take advantage of the opportunity and send one into the back of the Toronto net on the last play of the game, tying the game 1-1 and forcing a shootout to decide the OUA Champions.

York started the shootout first with Tessa Wong going in on Mary Yang with Yang making the save. Danielle D'Silva would be up first for Toronto, and she would make it count giving Toronto a 1-0 advantage in the shootout. Jordyn MacDonald stepped up next for York but was also denied by Yang. Olivia Thompson went next for Toronto but would end up putting her shot wide as Toronto remained 1 up. Kathryn Carlow would line up next for York and would make the most of her opportunity, scoring to even the shootout. The tie would not last long as Toronto's next shooter Vanessa Marques would score to put Toronto back up 1. Gates McAllister would step up for York and make the most of it, once again evening the shootout. Ellie Mullins would be up next for Toronto, but she could not solve York Goalkeeper Ella Ciesielski, keeping the shootout even. Abby Thompson was the fifth shooter for the Lions and could not give them the advantage in the shootout as she missed her opportunity.  Kirsten D'Silva would be last up for Toronto with the game on her stick, and she would not miss her chance, burying the OUA Gold Medal winning goal in the shootout to give Toronto the win over York and secure the OUA Field Hockey Championship. Mary Yang took home the honours of Most Valuable Player for the final for her outstanding performance throughout the game and in the shootout.