(ELMIRA, Ont.) The UNB Reds dropped a 2-0 decision to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues Friday night in the quarter-finals at the U Sports Women’s Hockey Championship, in Elmira, Ont.
The No. 2-seeded Varsity Blues scored late in the second period and midway through the third, holding off a feisty No. 7-ranked Reds.
“I really liked our first five minutes,” said Reds head coach Sarah Hilworth. “But we took a couple of penalties and that kind of slowed us down and they woke up. They’re a good team and they just got the job done.”
While the teams played a scoreless first period, the Blues outshot the Reds 13-4. Shots were hard to come by for UNB in the second and third periods as well, limited to just five in the second and four more in the third.
“Losing a big game like that, there’s a lot of tears and frustration, especially when we can’t put the puck in the net,” said Reds goalie Cassie McCallum, who made 37 saves on 39 shots and was named UNB’s player of the game. “I think it’s got to be us rallying for tomorrow and coming back to give our seniors and those leaving another chance to play that extra game at the end of the weekend.”
“She played unreal tonight,” said first-year Reds defender Lilly Bell about McCallum. “She kept us in it, giving us all the chances we could have had.”
Bell, one of three Reds from the Kitchener-Waterloo region, noted the support from local fans. Several other players also hail from Ontario, contributing to a sizeable cheering section.
“There was definitely a lot of nerves coming into this game and this tournament, being so close to home and having so many people here,” Bell added.
The Reds now drop into the consolation bracket and will face the No. 6-seeded UBC Thunderbirds on Saturday at 2 p.m. Atlantic.
“Tomorrow, we’ve got to bear down and bury some pucks,” McCallum said. “We have a few seniors leaving this year, so I think it’s about doing it for them and putting it all out there.”
“It’s hard not competing for a national championship anymore,” said Hilworth. “For those on our team who won’t play as a Red again, the next two days are about making memories.”
This was the third consecutive year the Reds and Varsity Blues have met at the national championship tournament. Last year, in Saskatoon, U of T secured a 2-1 win in the quarter-finals. In 2023, in Montreal, the Varsity Blues beat UNB 4-1 in the consolation semi-final.
