It was another packed month of action for varsity clubs at Queen’s.
With the calendar turning to November and the days becoming shorter, The Journal is recapping how various club sports performed during the month of October. Unlike varsity sports, varsity clubs are not fully funded by the University and rely mostly on donations.
Baseball
The Gaels baseball team participated in the Canadian National University Baseball Championships from Oct. 22-25, going 5-0 and beating the Carleton Ravens in the finals by a score of 15-4 to take home the national title.
READ MORE: Gaels baseball crowned national champions after undefeated run in Ottawa
The team had finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, qualifying for the OUA provincial playoffs. However, the team struggled at provincials, winning just one game.
The team still qualified for nationals due to their strong regular season record, making the most of their second chance.
The Gaels rode dominant pitching over the first three games to go 3-0 in pool play, receiving a bye past the quarterfinals. A complete game from Robert Jamieson, ArtSci ’27, in the semifinals finished a run of three consecutive complete games from Queen’s pitchers and propelled the team into the finals against the Ravens.
While it struggled early in the tournament, the offense exploded in the final game against Carleton, scoring 15 runs highlighted by catcher Alex Cole’s, ArtSci ’30, 4-hit performance.
With their first national title since 2004, the team will train all offseason with Head Coach Jeff Melrose to try to defend it next season.
Fastpitch
The Gaels fastpitch team had a decent season, going 14-6 before competing in the Ontario University Softball (OUS) playoffs from Oct. 17-18, where they were ultimately eliminated.
The team started October by splitting a doubleheader against the Ottawa GeeGees. The team then swept both doubleheaders against the Toronto Metropolitan Bold and Lions. They concluded their regular season by sweeping the GeeGees on Oct. 10, riding a six-game winning streak heading into the playoffs.
Queen’s opened the playoffs strong with a 9-8 win over the Western Mustangs but faltered over the next two games, losing to the Laurier Golden Hawks and then eventually to the GeeGees to be eliminated from the playoffs.
Men’s Ultimate
The men’s ultimate team continued their dominance when they won the Canadian University Ultimate Championships (CUUC), which took place from Oct. 17-18 in Brampton. The championship is the Gaels’ seventh national title, making Queen’s Men’s Ultimate the most decorated university ultimate program in Canada.
READ MORE: Men’s ultimate frisbee claim seventh national championship
The team cruised through their first three games of pool play to go undefeated and finish first in their pool. They also had no trouble in the quarterfinals, beating the University of Manitoba Bisons by a score of 14-6.
The semifinals against the McGill Redbirds was a bit more nerve-wracking, but the Gaels were able to eek out a 9-7 victory to advance to the finals against the GeeGees.
After an even start to the game, where the teams traded points, the Gaels were able to build a lead going into halftime. They were able to hold onto the lead, eventually going on to beat the GeeGees by a final score of 12-9 to win the national championship.
The national title is the fifth under Pete Galbraith’s tenure as head coach of the men’s ultimate team.
Lacrosse
The women’s lacrosse team claimed the bronze medal at the OUA championships, which took place from Oct. 16-18 in Peterborough.
After finishing the regular season with a 7-2 record, the Gaels cruised past the McMaster Marauders by a score of 25-0 to advance to the semifinals against the Laurier Golden Hawks.
However, the team fell to the Golden Hawks 11-7 in the semifinals, which put them in the bronze-medal game against the Guelph Gryphons.
After the first three quarters were evenly played, Queen’s found themselves down 12-8 with only four minutes to go.
However, they would proceed to mount a furious comeback, headlined by Laurieve Swanson, ArtSci ’30, who scored three goals during that time frame to help tie the game and force overtime. Swanson would also score the game winner in overtime. Alongside a 13-12 victory and a bronze medal, her performance earned her the player of the game award.
READ MORE: Women’s Lacrosse captures bronze at OUA championships
The men’s lacrosse team recently concluded their regular season with a 17-7 victory over Bishop Gaiter on Oct. 31. The team finished with a 7-3 record during the regular season and is riding a five-game winning streak as the enter the playoffs
Men’s lacrosse will open their playoffs on November 8th when they face the Trent Excalibur at Miklas-McCarney Field.
Golf
Gaels golf had a season of ups and downs. At the Lancer Invitational in Windsor on Oct. 3 and 4, both teams made their respective podiums with the men’s team taking home second place and the women’s team taking home third.
READ MORE: Queen’s Golf takes it all in Windsor
The teams hoped to take their success into the OUA championships in Ottawa from Oct. 16-18. The women’s team ultimately succeeded, capturing the OUA championships in an effort led by Hannah Lee, Nurs ’29, and Gabriella McDaniel, ArtSci ’27. The provincial title is the first in women’s golf’s history.
READ MORE: Women’s Golf takes gold at OUA championships, marking the first win in program history
The men’s team did not fare as well. Missing one of their best players, the team got off to a bad start and were unable to catch up, ultimately finishing tenth.
Queen’s golf will now take a break over winter, where they will train for the Canadian University Championships held in June of 2027.
Tennis
Both the men’s and women’s tennis teams competed in the OUA championships hosted by the Waterloo Warriors from Oct. 9-11.
Led by captain Ben Chernin, HealthSci ’28, the men’s team was able to beat the Lions and GeeGees to advance to the finals. Though they lost the finals match to the Mustangs, the team still qualified for a nationals’ berth since there were two spots from the OUA open this year.
READ MORE: Tennis takes home silver at OUA Championship
The women’s team also claimed a silver medal at the OUA championships, barely losing to the Toronto Varsity Blues in the finals match by a score of 4-3. However, they did not qualify for nationals like the men’s team did.
Under the guidance of Head Coach Tony Roth, Gaels tennis will continue training over the winter season. Nationals for the men’s team will be held in Montreal in May.
Field Hockey
The women’s field hockey team struggled throughout the month of October, losing their last five contests, ending up with a 3-9 record, and missing the OUA playoffs.
The Gaels started October off well with a 1-0 win over the Mustangs on Oct. 2. However, they would proceed to lose by the same score against the Lions a couple days later on Oct. 4.
The team then began to struggle defensively. They lost 3-1 to the Gryphons on Oct. 10, fell short in a tight 1-0 contest against the Marauders a day later, then lost 4-0 against the Varsity Blues on Oct. 17 before concluding their season with a 5-0 defeat to the Lions on the 18th.
For her performance, the Gaels’ goaltender Sarah Downes, ArtSci ’28, was named the OUA Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Year. Downes and Kate Martin, Sci ’27, were also named OUA All-Stars for this past season
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