Vikes begin defence of field hockey crown

September 17, 2009

From Ron Rauch, Victoria Times Colonist

For the last five seasons, Ali Lee was the glue that kept the University of Victoria Vikes women’s field hockey team together.

Whenever the team was in trouble, they would look to Lee to bail them out.

Coach Lynne Beecroft and the Vikes will not have that security blanket this year when they open the Canada West season this weekend in Edmonton against the Alberta Pandas.

Lee, who graduated, along with Brooke English, Kaitlin Jacobs and Chelsea Rabey, will not be back with the team.

“We will definitely miss Ali,’’ said Beecroft. “She was such a hard worker and she could do so many different things for the team. We will not be able to replace her as she was so gifted and had the ability to read the game so well.’’

Some of the new faces on the team are Gillian Wright, who spent the last two years with the UVic track program, Whitney Siegmann, Lambrick Park grad Kyla Kirby and Chelsea Morton from Duncan. Siegmann played one Canada West weekend last year but impressed the coaching staff that she was added to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship roster. The Vikes won that championship 2-1 at home against Alberta. That was Beecroft’s 11th national title in 25 years of service with UVic. Beecroft and the Vikes will have the opportunity to hoist another CIS banner this year as UVic will again host the nationals from Nov. 5-8.

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