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Tigers weekend recap ‑ AUS swimming champions edition

Also: highlights from hockey, basketball and volleyball.

- February 14, 2012

Tigers swimming star David Sharpe. (Nick Pearce photo)
Tigers swimming star David Sharpe. (Nick Pearce photo)

Swimming


Congratulations to our women’s and men’s swim teams who commanded the 2012 Subway AUS Championships and were once again the AUS champions.

Continuing the long-standing tradition of swimming excellence at pilipiliÂþ»­, the Tigers swim teams had an outstanding performance over the weekend as they hosted the 2012 Subway AUS Championships. With 575 points, the women’s team captured the banner for the 11th straight year. Rookie Kate Webster earned Female Rookie of the Meet and Female Swimmer of the Meet honours, taking home gold in the 400m individual medley, as well as the 400m and 800m freestyle races.

On the men’s team, David Sharpe was named Male Swimmer of the Meet for the third consecutive year, winning the 200m butterfly, as well as the 50m and 100m backstroke events. Kyle Watson collected a gold in the 800m freestyle relay, a gold in the 1500m freestyle, and a silver in the 400m freestyle and was named Male Rookie of the Meet. Bryan Fumerton received the Male Citizenship Award. The Tigers racked up 510 points to secure their 14th straight banner. Dalhousie has now qualified 20 women and 16 men for the CIS Championships later this month in Montreal.

Hockey


The men’s hockey team ended their season with three close, but disappointing losses. In Antigonish last Wednesday the Tigers fell 2-1 to the X-Men, with Pascal Amyot scoring for Dal. On Friday the team traveled to Acadia and after two periods the black and gold was down 2-0. Goals from Francois Gauthier and Brett Plouffe tied the game in the third period, but the Axemen replied with two goals to take the game 4-2.

In their last game of the year, the Tigers faced the X-Men on home ice. StFX scored the first three goals to take an early lead, but Pierre-Alexandre Vandall and Francois Gauthier netted a goal each in the second period to close the gap. The X-Men scored two more in the first half of the third period, prompting replies from Benoit Gervais and Benjamin Breault, but the Tigers were unable to tie the game in the dying seconds and were forced to settle with a 5-4 loss.

Women’s hockey also had two tough losses on the road last weekend. Against Mount Allison on Saturday the Tigers fell 7-4 to the Mounties. Robin Nicholson had a hat trick for the black and gold and Miranda McMillan chipped in Dal’s other goal. On Sunday their game against UPEI went to overtime and then a shootout, with the Panthers besting the Tigers 3-2. Jocelyn LeBlanc and Nicholson scored for Dal, while Zoe Zivolak made 41 saves. The team plays Saint Mary’s on the road Friday before hosting Moncton at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Basketball


In New Brunswick over the weekend the women’s basketball team picked up two wins over UNB. The Tigers took Friday’s game 67-58, led by Courtney Thompson (16 points, six rebounds) and Alex Legge (12 points, eight rebounds). On Saturday Dal pulled through with a 79-63 victory, led this time by Keisha Brown and Rachael Harrison with 14 and 13 points each. This weekend the team will host two games against Cape Breton, playing Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

The men’s basketball team went 1-1 with UNB this weekend. On Friday the team fell short 77-59 to the Varsity Reds, with Ritchie Kanza Mata and Robert Nortmann banking 15 and 14 points, respectively. Looking to redeem themselves, the Tigers won Saturday’s game 77-69 in overtime. Kanza Mata led Dal again with 19 points, while Nortmann and Casey Fox each added 14. The team hosts two games against Cape Breton this weekend, playing Saturday at 8 p.m. at Dalplex and Sunday at 12 p.m. at Halifax Metro Centre.

Volleyball


Women’s volleyball increased their winning streak to seven in their last two regular season games over the weekend. On Friday the Tigers swept UNB in three sets, led by Louise Facca (10 kills, four aces) and Maggie Li (seven kills). Against CBU on Saturday, Dal took the match in three sets once again. Raessa Lalani had 11 kills, three aces, and 12 digs to lead the black and gold, while Facca added 10 kills and 13 digs. The team finished second in the league and travels to Moncton this weekend for the Subway AUS Championship.

In two close matches with UNB, the men’s volleyball team came out on top to finish the regular season in first place. The Tigers won Friday’s game 3-1, with Kenneth Rauwerda hitting an impressive 24 kills while Graeme Higgins added 15. On Saturday Dal traded sets with the Varsity Reds, but won the fifth set to take the match 3-2. Rauwerda and Higgins were offensive forces again with 16 and 15 kills each, while Bryan Duquette (16 digs) and Connor Maessen (16 blocks) led on defence. The team hosts UNB on Friday at 7 p.m. in the first game of a best of 3 series in the Subway AUS Championship. Game 2 will be hosted by UNB on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Watch highlights from the weekend on the .