Athletes of the week

Male athlete of the week Brady Morrison prepares to make a shootout save against the Royal Military College’s Paul Bradley last Friday at Constantine Arena. The Gaels won 4-3.
Image by: Tyler Ball
Male athlete of the week Brady Morrison prepares to make a shootout save against the Royal Military College’s Paul Bradley last Friday at Constantine Arena. The Gaels won 4-3.

Brady Morrison
Men’s hockey

Brady Morrison proved to be the men’s hockey team’s saving grace last Friday. The 7-13-2 Gaels defeated the 6-16-1 Paladins in a shootout to snap their five-game losing streak. Morrison made a total of 42 saves in the win, including six in overtime and all three shootout attempts.

Morrison said he was excited to break out of the slump.

“It felt really good,” he said. “It’s a weight off our shoulders to finally get that win. It’s a big confidence booster and we can continue on.”

Morrison is certainly no novice in the net. He has played in the Ontario Hockey League with both the Kingston Frontenacs and the Ottawa 67’s. He took up the position early on in his hometown of Thamesville, Ontario.

“I started out when I was probably four or five years old, and I’ve always played goal,” he said. “Back home, pretty much every kid played hockey so it’s kind of just a natural thing.” Morrison has had large shoes to fill this season, taking over the Gaels’ net from last season’s OUA East MVP Ryan Gibb, who left Queen’s to play professionally with the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League. Morrison said he doesn’t mind the pressure, though. He experienced a similar situation when he was traded to the Ottawa 67’s to replace Danny Battocio.

“When I left for Ottawa, I took over after one of the better goalies in the league, so it kind of prepared me for that,” he said.

Morrison said that like many other hockey players, he golfs in his spare time. He’s also been known to dabble in baseball. He said Mike Weir and Matt Stairs needn’t worry, though.

“I golf; I’m not the best golfer in the world,” he said. “I play baseball on campus. I’ve really got into it recently.” It’s Morrison’s puck-stopping prowess that will be tested down the stretch, though, as the Gaels have scored a league-low 38 goals in 22 games and have a tough fight on their hands to make the playoffs. But he said he doesn’t mind the pressure.

“Goaltenders are there for the game, positively or negatively,” he said. “Hopefully I affect it positively. … It’s always a good thing when you can make a save that the team counts on you to make.”

—Scott Turcotte

Fay Yachetti
Swimming

Swimmer Fay Yachetti shone this weekend, earning all three of Queen’s gold medals in two outings. Yachetti picked up a bronze medal in the 200-metre freestyle in Ottawa Friday and won three gold medals for the Gaels at home the next day at the Queen’s Invitational. She took first place in the 800-metre and 400-metre freestyle events and also earned gold as a member of the 50-metre freestyle relay team.

Yachetti said she was a bit surprised with the weekend’s results.

“We weren’t expected to win the relay, so that was really exciting,” she said.

Winning events is not a new concept for Yachetti — she has been swimming competitively since the age of 10.

“In club swimming, I was always on top, at least in the top eight in every race.”

Since graduating from club swimming to the Queen’s varsity team, Yachetti has opted for more long-distance events.

“I used to focus a lot more on the 200-metre and 400-metre freestyle but now I think my best event is the 800-metre,” she said.

Yachetti intends to compete in the 800-metre freestyle at the upcoming OUA championships along with several other endurance races. While she admits she prefers individual events, Yachetti said she also enjoys competing with the relay team.

“Individual events are best because I like to be in control,” she said. “But I still look forward to getting pumped up with the team for relays.” Coach Andrew Slot said he expects the relays to be successful events for the Queen’s swim team at the OUA championships.

“I think we’ll do best in the relays because they involve a concerted effort from everyone,” he said.

Slot said Yachetti’s determination to improve makes her a valuable member of the swim team.

“She’s very dedicated,” he said. “Fay has been the most consistent swimmer on the women’s team all year.”

Although Yachetti’s steady results in her first season on the team are impressive, Slot says he expects more progress from her in the coming years.

“Since Fay was at the castle last year, she has basically used this year to get back into shape,” he said. “If she continues to improve at the rate she is now, I expect her to make OUA finals within the next few years.”

Yachetti has clear goals for herself as well.

“I want to beat a Queen’s record and I want to go to the CIS championships.”

—Renée Kennedy

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