REGULAR SEASON
| BALDWIN | NELSON | |||||||
| Memorial | 18-2 | 25-5 | Doug Partridge | Cape Breton | 16-4 | 24-8 | Fabian McKenzie | |
| Dalhousie | 11-9 | 16-15 | Carolyn Savoy | New Brunswick | 12-8 | 20-11 | Joyce Slipp | |
| St. FX | 6-14 | 8-22 | Doc Ryan | St. Mary’s | 10-10 | 16-16 | Jill Jeffrey | |
| Acadia | 1-19 | 1-29 | Laura Sanders | U.P.E.I. | 6-14 | 12-16 | Tracy Ellsworth | |
Playoff non-qualifiers:
Acadia Axewomen: Shaina Partridge, Amy Brazil, Kim Hurley, Kyla Magnus, Jennifer Bishop, Kerry Karsten, Jessica Pratt, Jessica Bower, Vanessa Styles, Ginny Gane, Kyla Marsten, Kathryn Murray, Kate Rive, Aidan Inglis, coach Laura Sanders
Prince Edward Island Panthers: Melissa-Anne Campbell, Lindsay Coade, Melissa Breton, Katherine Walters, Katie Andrews, Natasha Eadie, Jennifer Russell, M.C. Connolly, Heidi Campbell, Vanessa Foster, Katie Hamilton, Leslie Bradshaw, Katie McCormack, Jenna Connolly, coach Tracy MacEachern-Ellsworth
In the quarterfinals, St. Mary’s defeated Dalhousie 67-47. Jamie Walker led the Huskies with 21 points on 9-11 from the floor, 3-4 from the line and 3 boards. Julie Galipeau scored 11 on 4-12 from the floor and 8 boards. Laura MacPherson scored 11 on 5-6 from the floor. Natalie Ryan scored 6 on 3-5 from the floor. Kimberly Reardon and Catherine Steiner each scored 4. Sarah Hebb and Heather Rudderham each scored 3, Venessa Ryan and Samantha Coutts each scored 2, while Elizabeth Gibbons and Jennifer Chorney were scoreless. St. Mary’s shot 26-49 (.531) from the floor, 3-12 (.250) from the arc and 12-17 (.706) from the line, while garnering 24 boards, 12 assists and 18 fouls. Sonya Young and Ryan McKay each scored 11 for Dalhousie. Young was 5-10 from the floor and grabbed 5 boards. McKay was 4-14 from the floor and grabbed 6 boards. Kelly Donald scored 8 on 2-7 from the floor. Lauren Plummer scored 6 on 2-4 from the floor. Katherine Fortier scored 3, Elspeth Cheng 3, Carolyn Peppin 3 and Leslie Duncan 2, while Brittany MacDonald and Justine Panavas were scoreless. The Tigers shot 17-50 (.340) from the floor, 3-17 (.176) from the arc and 10-15 (.667) from the line, while garnering 21 boards, 2 assists, 17 fouls. The Tigers (coached by Carolyn Savoy) also included Becky Melvin, Vanessa Cartwright, Ryan McKay, Kelly Donald, Sonya Young and Laura Irvine. St. Mary’s coach Jill Jeffery was pleased with the effort. “I never expected it to be easy. But I must say the last couple of weeks my players have been coming on and coming on. And more importantly, our preparation this week was outstanding. They were very intense, very, very focused.”
In the other quarterfinal, the 3rd-seeded New Brunswick Varsity Reds dumped the 6th-seeded St. FX X-Women 60-44. Christy McBride led the Varsity Red with 17 on 7-16 from the floor and 4 boards. Amber Lenihan scored 13 on 5-14 from the floor, 8 boards and 5 assists. Jessica Arsenault scored 12 on 5-11 from the floor and 6 boards. Melanie Walker scored 6 on 3-4 from the floor. Jill Rowe scored 3 on 3-4 from the line and 4 boards. Holly Jones scored 3 and had 6 assists. Kate Springer, Stephanie Dinn and Jennifer Veysey each scored 2, while Emily Murphy was scoreless. The Varsity Reds shot 24-63 (.375) from the floor, 2-9 (.222) from the arc and 10-17 (.588) from the line, while garnering 37 boards, 12 assists, 15 fouls, 15 turnovers, 3 blocks and 16 steals. Beth Stephen led St. FX with 11 points on 5-16 from the floor and 6 boards. Christine Kirk scored 7 on 3-7 from the floor before fouling out. Nicole Ross scored 6 on 2-10 from the floor and 7 boards. Leah Mochrie scored 5, Tara Kinnear 4, Michelle Tremere 4, Jennifer Chisholm 3, Marchell Coulombe 2 and Carla MacNeil 2, while Julia Mulligan was scoreless. The X-Women shot 18-51 (.353) from the floor, 0-7 from the arc and 8-16 from the line, while garnering 32 boards, 9 assists, 21 fouls, 20 turnovers, 1 block and 10 steals. The X-Women (coached by Doc Ryan) also included Lisa Pederson, Erin Buckle, Carla McNeil, Angela Miller, Jennifer Wickson, Stephanie MacNeil, Emily Schafflik and Aynsley Marr.
In the semifinals, Memorial defeated St. Mary’s 67-61. Jenine Browne led the Sea-Hawks with 20 points on 5-15 from the floor, 2-4 from the arc and 8-10 from the line. Kate Flynn scored 16 on 6-9 from the floor and 6 boards. Leslie Stewart scored 13 on 3-5 from the floor and 6-7 from the line. Amy Dalton scored 11 on 4-10 from the floor, 5 assists and 4 boards before fouling out. Michelle Bartlett, Krista Singleton and Jessica Parsons each scored 2, while Joanne McNeil scored 1. Sheena Fleming and Alicia Bird were scoreless. The Sea-Hawks shot 20-44 (.455) from the floor, 3-6 from the arc and 24-31 (.774) from the line, while garnering 30 boards, 11 assists, 18 fouls, 18 turnovers, 2 blocks and 6 steals. Julie Galipeau led St. Mary’s with 16 points on 5-15 from the floor, 5-6 from the line and 13 boards. Jamie Walker scored 14 on 6-11 from the floor. Laura MacPherson added 14 on 6-11 from the floor and 7 boards. Venessa Ryan scored 4, Heather Rudderham 3, Samantha Coutts 3, Catherine Steiner 2, Elizabeth Gibbons 2, Kimberly Reardon 2 and Jennifer Chorney 1. Natalie Ryan and Sarah Hebb were scoreless. The Huskies shot 23-68 (.338) from the floor, 1-10 from the arc and 14-20 (.700) from the line, while garnering 36 boards, 10 assists, 14 fouls, 12 turnovers, 4 blocks and 10 steals.
In the other semi, Cape Breton trounced New Brunswick 73-59. Heather Ross led the Capers with 17 points on 6-8 from the floor and 4-6 from the line. Maureen Murrin added 15 on 6-10 from the floor, 6 boards and 4 assists. Cecelia Romero scored 12 on 6-13 from the floor and 4 boards. Kelli McHugh scored 13 on 5-11 from the floor, 6 boards and 8 assists. Kimberly Reynolds scored 8 on 3-11 from the floor and 10 boards. Tamara Alleyne scored 6 and Sharalee Dempster 2, while Shannon Labre and Sandra Ramos were scoreless. Cape Breton shot 29-59 (.492) from the floor, 6-18 (.333) from the arc and 9-11 (.818) from the line, while garnering, 31 boards, 16 assists, 14 fouls, 17 turnovers and 6 steals. Amber Lenihan led the Varsity Reds with 21 points on 9-15 from the floor and 3-5 from the arc. Holly Jones scored 12 on 4-6 from the floor and 4 boards before fouling out. Melanie Walker scored 12 on 5-8 from the floor. Christy McBride scored 9 on 3-10 from the floor and 4 assists before fouling out. Jennifer Veysey scored 2, Jill Rowe 2 and Jessica Arsenault 1, while Emily Murphy, Kate Springer and Stephanie Dinn were scoreless. The Varsity Reds shot 23-54 (.426) from the floor, 8-15 (.533) from the arc and 5-7 (.714) from the line, while garnering 15 boards, 12 assists, 17 fouls, 18 turnovers, 1 block and 7 steals. The Varsity Reds led 34-29 at the half after hitting 7 treys.
In the final, Cape Breton stunned Memorial 67-61. Kelli McHugh led the Capers with 26 points on 9-21 from the floor, 8-8 from the line and 10 boards. Maureen Murrin added 12 on 2-4 from the floor, 7-8 from the line and 6 boards. Cecillia Romero scored 11 on 5-10 from the floor. Heather Ross scored 6 on 2-7 from the floor, 4 boards and 5 assists. Sharalee Dempster scored 6 on 3-6 from the floor. Kimberly Reynolds scored 5 and grabbed 6 boards. Tamara Alleyne scored 1, while Sandra Ramos was scoreless. The Capers shot 23-54 (.426) from the floor, 1-6 (.167) from the arc and 20-23 (.870) from the line, while garnering 35 boards, 10 assists, 15 fouls, 11 turnovers, 2 blocks and 7 steals. Jenine Browne paced the Sea-Hawks with 23 points on 9-18 from the floor, 3-7 from the arc and 2-2 from the line. Kate Flynn added 15 on 6-11 from the floor. Leslie Stewart scored 12 on 4-9 from the floor and 4 boards. Amy Dalton scored 5 on 2-14 from the floor, 10 boards and 2 assists before fouling out. Krista Singleton scored 2, while Sheena Fleming, Joanne McNeil and Alicia Bird were scoreless. Memorial shot 24-65 (.369) from the floor, 5-15 from the arc and 8-9 (.889) from the line, while garnering 29 boards, 9 assists, 20 fouls, 15 turnovers, 1 block and 7 steals. The victory gave the Capers their first AUAA title. Tourney MVP Kelli McHugh said it was perfect revenge for a three-point loss in the 2003 finals. “If there is a spectrum, I am at the total opposite end this year. There was a few girls from last year’s team that came and really enjoyed seeing that today.” Preparation was the difference, she added. “Our coaches worked 26 hours in the day and had us perfectly prepared for this game. … In a game like that against such a good team takes everybody to do their role. People had some valuable box-outs at certain times, people hit some really important free throws; it was just those little clutch things that we all put together and did.” The Sea-Hawks held the lead for most of the affair although they never able to move ahead by more than six. They led 32-31 at the half, but appeared to lose their rhythm in the second half when Cape Breton coach Fabian MacKenzie called a time out and switched defensive assignments. “The kids did exactly what we told them to do; they knew where Memorial was going to be, what they were going to try to do and they managed to get it done,” said MacKenzie. “MUN played tough, they were leading at the half and did some things, but we did the right things at the right time and got a win. They came to work and did the job. Kim Reynolds played well; Kelli McHugh, I can’t say enough about her; Maureen Murrin is a warrior; Ceci (Romero) inside was great and Heather Ross is one of my heroes.” Fifth-year forward Kim Reynolds was elated. In her first year, the team had won one game. “We had a tough year that first year and my coach asked me to hang with it. He said by the end of five years we would win a title and we did. Words can’t explain how excited I am. I knew we could do it. … We played our hardest defence and tried to execute on offence and came out with the win. They were ranked, but we had nothing to lose. They had all the pressure on them.” McHugh turned around the game almost single-handedly. With Cape Breton trailing 53-50, the second-year guard from Birkenhead, UK, scored the first six points of a 10-0 Capers run. She swished a turnaround jumper, broke down a defender for an open bank shot, and muscled home a layup through a double-team in succession to give UCCB a lead it wouldn’t relinquish. Reynolds scored off an offensive rebound, then Heather Ross capped the streak with a pair of free-throws to put the Capers ahead 60-53 with 1:43 to play. Browne kept the Sea-Hawks in the contest by swishing another three to cut the lead to 60-56. But McHugh slammed the door shut. Double-teamed once again, she drove the lane, spun and delivered a one-handed pass to a wide-open Cecelia Romero under the basket for a layup. With their team up 62-56, the rabid Cape Breton fans – who packed the bleachers and started banging drums 40 minutes before tipoff – went delirious. They watched the last minute on their feet, filling the echo-prone Oland Centre with a deafening roar as the final seconds ticked down toward a massive celebration. McHugh said she was thinking of Reynolds down the stretch. “She’s been waiting five years for this. She’s gone from a program of 1-19 to winning a championship. … People like that are the reason we all work so hard. There’s been a lot of effort and a lot of individual sacrifice.” McKenzie was choked-up. “Stunned is what I feel. We wanted to be here at this moment. Through the hard work of my staff and these kids, it worked. I can’t say enough about them. It’s pretty sweet.”
Following the season, 31-year-old Reagh Vidito is named head coach at UPEI, replacing Tracy Ellsworth, whose contract wasn’t renewed after a (6-14) campaign by athletic director Wayne Hussey. In 12 years, Ellsworth had a 78-102 record. Vidito, who played at Carleton and UPEI, formerly led Charlottetown Colonel Grey to a pair of boy’s high school provincial titles in 2002 and 2003 and was an assistant with the UPEI men in 2000. He coached the PEI provincial junior women’s team in 1998 and was an assistant to Chris Annett at Colonel Grey’s girls provincial title team in 1999. “We have to feel we have a chance to win every night. That will take time, it’s not an instantaneous thing. But through hard work, determination and dedication, it will come. My task will be to make these girls understand that winning is contagious.”
Acadia athletic director Dan McNally fires coach Laura Sanders, coach since 1985, saying the program needed to be revitalized. He simultaneously fired men’s coach Dave Nutbrown. The Axettes finished 1-19 on the season. ‘These kinds of decisions aren’t decisions you make that anything to do with trying to be popular in the community. You make decisions like this in the best interest of the institution and the student-athletes who are here.” Since becoming AD in 2001, McNally, a former football player, also cut loose the men’s soccer program and fired long-time football coach Sonny Wolfe. Sanders is replaced by Angie McLeod, a former Dalhousie Tiger who led the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees to an OUA crown but resigned because she was tired of community to Halifax to be with her partner, a Halifax physician.
The co-bronze medalist Saint Mary’s Huskies: Julie Galipeau; Jamie Walker; Laura MacPherson; Venessa Ryan; Heather Rudderham; Samantha Coutts; Catherine Steiner; Elizabeth Gibbons; Kimberly Reardon; Jennifer Chorney; Natalie Ryan; Sarah Hebb; Shaneen Kendall; Heather Rudderham; Jamie Walker; Shannon Grant; coach Jill Jeffrey-Healy
The co-bronze medalist New Brunswick Varsity Reds: Amber Lenihan; Holly Jones; Melanie Walker; Christy McBride; Jennifer Veysey; Jill Rowe; Jessica Arsenault; Emily Murphy; Kate Springer; Stephanie Dinn; Kate Ross, Lou Walsh; Lindsey Myers; Joanna Fox; coach Joyce Slipp; assistant Dick Slipp; assistant Tyler Slipp; assistant Reg Springer
The runner-up Memorial Sea-Hawks: Jenine Browne; Kate Flynn; Leslie Stewart; Amy Dalton; Krista Singleton; Sheena Fleming; Joanne McNeil; Alicia Bird; Michelle Bartlett; Jessica Parsons; Kimberly Brophy; Ester Mooney; Leslie Stewart; coach Doug Partridge
The champion Cape Breton Capers: Kelli McHugh; Maureen Murrin; Heather Ross; Kimberly Reynolds; Lindsey Smith; Tamara Alleyne; Cecillia Romero; Shannon Labre; Sandra Ramos; Sharalee Dempster; Ashley Downie; Miranda Munro; coach Fabian McKenzie