It’s hard to know if—while taping his stick in preparation for the Arizona Coyotes Oct. 22^nd match against the Anaheim Ducks—Travis Dermott thought he was going to receive the attention he did.  

“None of the players really saw me put it on my stick,” Dermott told The Athletic. “It was kind of just an: All right, I’m doing this, and we’re going to deal with the consequences and move forward.” 

What Dermott put on his stick was a strip of rainbow-coloured hockey tape called “Pride Tape”: an expression of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community that was banned by the NHL earlier this month in a widely unpopular move. 

Players across the league expressed disappointment with the decision.  

Leading up to Dermott’s stand, players around the league were asked to chime in, and overwhelmingly the answers echoed that it was a “disappointing decision.” 

In defiance of the NHL’s mandate, Dermott played the whole match against the Ducks wearing the tape on his stick.  

The effects were immediate. 

When fans on social media noticed the tape on his stick, they were quick to applaud Dermott and bring attention to his stand.  

The NHL took notice too, with the league office saying on the Pride Tape issue, “We will review it in due course.” 

Conducting their review and no-doubt soaking in the avalanche of support for Dermott, the NHL reversed their decision on Oct. 25^th.  

Interestingly, by far the most vocal opponents of the policy were not star players.  

“If they want to say something, they can,” said Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers on his desire to continue wearing Pride Tape. Notably, Scott Laughton has never scored more than 20 goals or 45 points in a season.  

“What is the league going to do?” scoffed John Merrill of the Minnesota Wild and well-known LGBTQ+ ally. Merrill is a 31-year-old defenceman from Oklahoma who’s played for five teams and never earned more than $1.3 million in a year.  

“The players have a voice, and it is a pretty powerful voice, no matter what the league thinks,” said Anthony Duclair of the San Jose Sharks. Duclair has been traded six times in his career, most recently to San Jose so that the Florida Panthers could avoid paying out his contract. 

“You’ll never get the answers from [the NHL]…they don’t have answers for a lot of things that they do,” said Matt Dumba, Dermott’s teammate on the Arizona Coyotes. “They just follow and try to save face.” Dumba only received a contract offer from the Coyotes late in the offseason after his contract was not renewed by the Minnesota Wild, despite being third on their team in ice time. 

And then we get to Travis Dermott. Whipping-boy of Toronto Maple Leafs fans in their 2021 playoff run. He has never played more than 64 games in a season, and has played only 28 combined games played over the past two seasons due to injuries.  

If you’re sensing a pattern here, it’s because there is one.  

 
At the time of his protest, Travis Dermott made $800,000 USD (league minimum is $775,000) and had 14 career goals.  

Travis Dermott is clearly a small-time player. He’s halfway through his career, earning barely above the league minimum on a one-year contract and is battling for one of the last two defenceman spots on one of the worst, least consequential teams in the league.  Dermott plays in one of the most tenuous situations possible for a pro athlete where every game is a fight just to prove that he can still hang. It’s a position where most players would avoid giving their coach any excuse to cut them. Despite that, Dermott opted to go behind his team’s back five games into a new contract to defy an explicit league memo.  

At this point, you might be asking yourself, “why would Dermott put himself at such high-risk?” but a better question might be “why were only the NHL’s most expendable prepared to put their livelihoods on the line?” 

Here are some of the statements from some notable star players. 

Connor McDavid, reigning MVP said, “in terms of a league standpoint, is it something that I’d like to see put back into place one day? Certainly. You know, but that’s not the way it is right now.” 

McDavid’s teammate, Zach Hyman said that “we’ll be able to support them individually, but collectively that’s out of the players’ control. Disappointing, but out of our control.” 

Cale Makar, former defenceman of the year said, “When one individual kind of goes astray, it looks bad on the whole community. For us — 99 percent of the guys in the league — it’s all about growing the game and making sure it’s inclusive for every single person. I get what the NHL is trying to do. They’re trying to eliminate individual thinking and help the league in terms of not putting any one guy in that spot.” 

Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s pre-eminent goal-scorer on the decision to ban Pride jerseys said, “Well, what can I say here? Well done.” 

All of these players earn more than $5 million and three of them, more than $11 million.  

It’s a shame that these tepid comments were all these players come up with. 

It’s also a shame that the NHL’s superstar class, for all that money, none of them could buy the kind of backbone that these apparently expendable players like Dermott have.  

In their heads, the NHL has always prided itself on having star players who are humble class acts, but when it comes down to it, are tough to the core and stand up for their teammates.  

What it seems like we’ve got is a bunch of stars who are humbly silent and stand up for nothing except the status quo.  

In every instance where a big scandal breaks or there’s a stand to make, it’s always the role players on the front lines.  

Bill Peters coached in the NHL from 2011 until 2020, and it took Akim Aliu (three points in seven career NHL games) to break the story of his racist actions when he played for him on the Rockford IceHogs from 2008 to 2010. There were at least seven players on those teams who went on to hold long, important careers in the NHL, like Corey Crawford, Antti Niemi and Niklas Hjalmarsson. 

In 2020, in the wake of the George Floyd protests, only five players knelt for the national anthems in protest of racism and police brutality. Though three white players chose to show their solidarity, none of them can really be called superstars. The first instance of kneeling (courtesy of Matt Dumba) happened at an Oilers game, but none of their superstars participated in the protest. Compare this with the NBA at the time, where Jonathan Isaac’s refusal to kneel was seen as an extreme outlier.  

When Kyle Beach came forward with his story, detailing how he’d been serially sexually assaulted by a member of the Chicago Blackhawks staff, besides the firing of some managers involved and a minuscule $2 million fine, how were the Blackhawks held responsible? How were the on-ice leaders of the team held responsible?  

When given a chance to decry what happened, team captains Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane took the opportunity to act as apologists for the managers who enabled the assaults.  

“Regardless of the mistakes that may have been made…I have a ton of respect for [Al MacIsaac and Stan Bowman] as people,” read Toews’ statement. 

“It’s not an excuse looking back, but the truth is a lot of us were just focused on playing hockey.” 

This statement feels even more evil when you remember that Beach alleged that not only was everyone on the team aware of it—a story corroborated by other teammates at the time—and that many Blackhawks participated in bullying Beach about the incidents in plain sight. 

During the Blackhawks’ string of championships, Toews was positioned by the hockey media as the consummate leader of a hockey team, dubbed “Captain Serious”. Coaches told their centres to emulate his game, and parents told their kids to look up to him as a model of character. It felt like a spit in the face when I learned what a spineless rat he turned out to be. 

We still don’t know what is going on or what’s going to happen with the investigation into the sexual assaults perpetrated by Hockey Canada players. How many players have called for those assaulters to be held accountable?  

Mike Babcock was welcomed back into the NHL with open arms after numerous cases of mistreatment of his players. When these issues reappeared almost immediately, the veteran corps of the team tried to cover for him. The NHLPA (who never issued a statement on Pride Tape, despite the tenuous legality and unpopularity of the mandate) even tried to cover for Babcock, forcing us to rely on the notoriously problematic Spittin’ Chiclets podcast to get the story out.    

And this is just the stuff that got out.  

The lack of any sort of stance from the NHL stars likely plays well with some people. The political stances, vocality, individuality and athlete empowerment in leagues like the NBA are seen as negatives by many who “want to keep politics out of sports.” But this isn’t politics: it’s human decency.  

“Sticking to sports” isn’t a neutral position. Any athlete with a platform to remain neutral in the face of oppression is complicit.  

People decry the “drama queens” and emotionality of the NBA and NFL, saying that the NHL’s keep-your-head-down humility is true professionalism, but I think it’s time to start calling their silence for what it is: cowardice.  

In a thrilling game, the Brock Badgers men’s soccer team secured a 3-1 victory against the visiting McMaster Marauders in the OUA quarter-finals on Saturday, Oct. 28.  

The Badgers showcased their determination and skill, treating their fans to a quarter-final win for the first time since 2006. 

The first half of the game was an exciting display of soccer prowess. The Badgers wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with sophomore forward Luca Danesi netting the opening goal. Danesi capitalized on a well-executed through ball from defender Connor Carroll, leaving McMaster’s goalkeeper, Ethan Cagalj, with no chance. Just minutes later, the Badgers extended their lead, with Marc Iantomasi, the team’s leading scorer, finding the back of the net. Michael Fernandez played a crucial role in setting up the goal by forcing Cagalj to leave the net in an attempt to make a play. 

The Marauders refused to back down and managed to pull one back when Amir Shirazi scored in the 29^th minute. Despite this, the Badgers held a 2-1 lead going into halftime. 

The second half saw McMaster increasing the pressure in their pursuit of an equalizer. The Badgers found themselves in yellow card trouble, with Noah DeDominicis and Nicholas Esperanca both receiving bookings in the first 20 minutes of the half. However, Brock’s goalkeeper, Taylor Miskolczi, proved to be a crucial asset in preserving the team’s lead, making key saves during the late stages of the game. 

The icing on the cake for the Badgers came from striker Michael Solomon, who unleashed a powerful shot just under the crossbar, securing the third goal for Brock. This electrifying moment triggered a roar of jubilation from the Badgers’ dedicated fans. 

As the final whistle echoed across the stadium, the Badgers players celebrated a monumental victory, marking an achievement that hadn’t been accomplished by the men’s soccer program in 17 years.  

The statistics from the game tell a story of determination and perseverance. Despite McMaster’s 13 shots to Brock’s 11, the Badgers managed to outshoot their opponents in terms of shots on goal, with eight compared to McMaster’s six. The goalkeepers on both sides made three saves each, underlining their importance in the match. Brock also maintained an edge in corners, with five to McMaster’s four, and showed good discipline with only nine fouls compared to McMaster’s 13. 

In the individual player category, Luca Danesi, Marc Iantomasi and Michael Solomon were the standout performers. Danesi contributed not only the opening goal but also an assist, while Iantomasi added a goal to his name. Michael Solomon, the hero of the match, scored the all-important third goal for the Badgers. Jake Kelly provided valuable support with an assist. 

The victory over McMaster was a defining moment for the Brock Badgers men’s soccer team, showcasing their talent, resilience and determination. Their journey to the U Sports Championship promises to be an exciting one, and fans eagerly await their next match against the formidable Carleton Ravens. 

For more information on the Brock men’s soccer team, visit gobadgers.ca.  

The Brock men’s basketball regular season is just around the corner after playing in multiple pre-season tournaments. The Badgers are opening up the season with a home game against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues on Nov. 4.  

With that game just a couple of days away, let us reflect on the preseason journey of the Brock Badgers men’s basketball team, which started with an impressive display at the Brock Murray Classic. The team showcased their potential and determination, ultimately finishing with a strong 2-1 record in this early showcase. 

The Badgers opened their preseason schedule with an exciting game against the Cape Breton Capers. In this tightly contested battle, they managed to take the lead into halftime, up 45-42. However, the Capers staged a comeback in the second half, ultimately securing a 79-74 victory. Jevon Brown, Kevaughn Ellis and Georges Mfwamba Ngandu displayed balanced scoring for the Badgers in this game. 

The following game saw the Badgers making a strong comeback after their initial defeat, defeating the Lethbridge Pronghorns with a comfortable 84-71 margin. Davanté Hackett emerged as the star of the game, leading the team with an impressive 24 points. Anthony Heyes and Michael Okeke played crucial roles in this victory as well. 

The tournament concluded with a dominant performance against the Waterloo Warriors, sealing a convincing 81-59 victory. Jordan Tchuente, Jevon Brown and Anthony Heyes were among the key contributors to this win. 

Following their strong showing at the Brock Murray Classic, the Badgers continued their preseason journey with two more games. In the first, they faced the Centennial Colts—a team from the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA)—and secured an 83-69 victory. First-year point guard Anthony Heyes led the team with an outstanding performance, posting 17 points. 

In their game against the Mercyhurst University Lakers, an NCAA Division II school from Pennsylvania, the Badgers put up a valiant effort but fell short, with a final score of 57-47. 

As of now, the Badgers hold a preseason record of 5-6, after playing in two away pre-season tournaments: one at Queen University and the other in the province of British Columbia.  

They did not fare as well in these tournaments, winning just one game at each three-game tournament. Jordan Tcheunte and Jevon Brown continued to dominate the floor leading the team in points in both pre-season tournaments.  

With the preseason now behind them, the Brock Badgers men’s basketball team is poised for an exciting journey filled with thrilling moments and unforgettable victories.  

Catch the action this season on OUA.tv and watch home games in person by securing your tickets here. For more information on the Brock men’s basketball team visit gobadgers.ca.  

The Badgers’ men’s volleyball team is prepared for the start of the regular season after defeating the Varsity Blues in five sets to finish the pre-season with a 3-1 record. 

Brock started off the road game exceptionally well, going up 4-0 in the first set to open the contest. Outside hitter Kylar Code had two of his game-high 15 kills in the opening two possessions of the game, as setter Grant Reddon picked up both assists on those plays, finishing with a game-high 36 assists in the match. 

The first set ended 25-23 for Brock, as the Badgers picked up 11 kills in comparison to Toronto’s five, and the Badgers continued their dominance into the second set. 

In the middle of the set, Brock got hot, going on a 5-0 run forcing consecutive timeouts by the Varsity Blues. In that run, Toronto picked up two of their five attack errors in the set, giving Brock the 25-17 win to go up 2-0.  

Statistically, the second set was the Badgers’ best set of the game. Brock finished the set with a hitting percentage of .333 per cent, with ten kills and only two attack errors on 24 total attempts.  

However, the third set was a much different story for the visitors. The Badgers struggled to convert on their attack opportunities, committing numerous unforced errors resulting in points for Toronto.  

The Varsity Blues won the third set rather easily with a score of 25-15, as Brock had an attack percentage of negative .167 given they had more errors (nine) than kills (five). 

Fortunately, the sloppiness in the third set vanished in the fourth. A back-and-forth set saw both teams go on mini runs setting up a nail-biting finish to the set. With the Varsity Blues a point away from sending the game to the fifth and final set, the Badgers nearly clawed their way back before a Toronto kill earned them the 25-23 fourth set victory. 

The Varsity Blues attacked extremely well in that set, registering a .348 attack percentage, their highest of the game, in comparison to Brock’s .240 attack percentage, setting up a fifth and deciding set. 

In the decisive set, both teams had a share of the lead as they battled for every single point. With the Badgers up 14-13 on the brink of victory, Code pounded the ball for his 15^th kill of the match to give the Badgers the 3-2 win. 

The third-year business major was the star of the game for Brock, leading the team in kills (15), aces (4), blocks (4) and points (21.5). 

Defensively, libero Justin Rulli-Levere was impactful for the Badgers leading the way with a game-high 18 of Brock’s 52 digs in the match. 

The next match for the Badgers is a pair of regular season games next weekend on Saturday and Sunday at York University and can be streamed for free on oua.tv. For more information on the Brock Badgers men’s volleyball team, head to gobadgers.ca. 

The Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West division’s sixth-seeded Brock Badgers fell 4-1 to the third-seeded Guelph Gryphons in the first round of OUA women’s soccer playoff action on Oct. 25^th.

The tough road loss in Guelph ended the Badgers up-and-down season with a 3-6-4 record overall (three wins, six losses and four draws). 

The Badgers were up against fierce competition, facing a Guelph side that won eight of 12 games this season including being red-hot down the stretch. 

Coming into the playoffs, the Gryphons won their final three games of the season by a combined 6-0 score, while outshooting their opponents 48-6 in that span. Guelph carried that dominant mindset right into the matchup against Brock, getting on the front foot early. 

Seven minutes into the game, Olivia Rizakos opened the scoring for Guelph, scoring her fifth goal of the season and the first of two goals for her on the night. Rizakos’ teammate Olivia Brown followed suit nine minutes later burying Guelph’s second of the night to extend the home side’s lead. 

Things got even worse for the Badgers before the half-hour mark of the game. In the 28^th minute, Rizakos scored her second of the game from Haley Ward’s assist, giving the Gryphons a commanding 3-0 lead. 

However, in first half stoppage time the Badgers answered back, giving them some life heading into halftime. Brianna Bishop, Brock’s set-piece specialist, crossed the ball in from the corner kick which found centre-back Grace Tawil for her first of the season to get the Badgers on the board.  

Despite the glimmer of hope, the score remained 3-1 Guelph until the 90^th minute. 

After an uneventful second half where there were only five shots total – one for Brock and four for Guelph – the Gryphons scored again to solidify their spot in the OUA quarterfinals. Tessa Ladhani netted the fourth Guelph goal which earned them the 4-1 win over Brock. 

The disappointing loss for the Badgers also signified the end of the university athletics career for four exceptionally talented Brock soccer players: Emma Hendrie, Grace Tawil, Adrianna Belfer-Marin and Luisa Argento de Almeida. 

Hendrie, Brock’s star goalkeeper, played a pivotal role in the success of the Badgers this season. The Sault Ste Marie-native appeared in nine games this season and registered 26 saves, many of which were high-quality saves from point-blank range. 

Centre-back Tawil started all 13 games for the Badgers this season and played a crucial role in Brock’s defence as the centrepiece of the backline. The Mathematics and Statistics major finished her OUA career with two goals in 35 appearances. 

Belfer-Marin, the Mississauga-native, appeared in 14 games for the Badgers over two seasons – 2019 and 2021 – registering five shots on goal and one goal in her OUA career. 

Almeida, the Brazilian midfielder, appeared in two games for the Badgers this season, including the decisive season finale against York that earned her team a spot in the playoffs. 

The Badgers will be looking for revenge against the Gryphons and all their OUA West rivals next season as they contend for the championship. Stay tuned to The Brock Press for all you need to know about the Brock Badgers women’s soccer team in anticipation for the 2024 season. 

As week eight of the NFL schedule concludes, the Buffalo Bills have reached the halfway point of the 2023 season.

The Bills, with a 5-3 record after eight games, have had a rollercoaster of a season to this point. With all the highs and lows of the season thus far, here is a mid-season analysis of the good, the bad and the ugly for the Bills in 2023. 

The Good 

The good news for Buffalo is that they are back to their winning ways after picking up a much needed 24-18 win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football on Oct. 26^th. In the win, the Bills were dominant in all three phases of the game – offence, defence and special teams – resembling the team that all football fans expect the reigning AFC East Champions to be this season. 

Josh Allen led the way looking like the MVP Finalist he was a season ago, passing for 324 yards and going 31 for 40 in pass attempts to go along with three total touchdowns. 

In the game against the Bucs, and throughout the opening eight games of the season, two Bills offensive players stood out: James Cook and Dalton Kincaid. 

Cook has emerged as the star running back in offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey’s offence. The former Georgia Bulldog is a weapon in both the rush and pass game, tallying 678 total yards so far this season, nearly surpassing his total yards from the entire season in 2022. 

On the other hand, Kincaid has slotted in as a reliable receiving option for quarterback Josh Allen. The rookie tight end has 193 yards in his young NFL career and is expected to have increased productivity after fellow tight end Dawson Knox was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. 

As a collective, the Bills offence was dominant in a three-game stretch from week two to four, which included an impressive 48-20 win over division rival Miami Dolphins. Allen threw four touchdown passes in that game, as Pro-Bowl receiver Stefon Diggs caught three of them for 120 yards. 

Sean McDermott’s defence held the Dolphins to just 20 points who came into the week four matchup undefeated, scoring 43.3 points per game in that span. Greg Rosseau picked up two of the four Bills sacks in that game, as the secondary limited Tyreek Hill to only three receptions in the game, a season low for him. 

If the Bills want to contend for the Super Bowl this February, the dominance that was on display against the Dolphins needs to be replicated down the stretch and into the playoffs. 

The Bad 

Besides the lopsided victories over the Miami Dolphins, Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders, things have been far from spectacular in Western New York. 

In the season opener in the Big Apple against the New York Jets, it seemed as if the door was wide open for the Bills to take control of the game after Jets star quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury less than four minutes into the game. But instead, the contrary occurred. 

The offence was stagnant, resulting in the Bills only scoring 16 points in that contest, nine of which were from field goals. 

Allen was horrific in that game, turning the ball over four times with three interceptions and a fumble lost. He looked like his younger self throwing deep balls into double and triple coverage, lacking that decision-making that superstar quarterbacks must have to be successful in the NFL. 

After a strong three-game stretch from week two to four, the following three games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and New England Patriots were hard to watch for Bills Mafia. 

In the game against the Jaguars overseas in the United Kingdom, the Bills’ defence could not stop the run. Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for two touchdowns and 136 yards, which is the second-most rushing yards in a game in his NFL career. Buffalo lost that game 25-20. 

Against the Giants, who had a negative 91-point differential heading into the Sunday night game in Buffalo, the Bills’ offence was once again stagnant, shutout until the fourth quarter. Allen only threw for 169 yards in the game, his lowest this season, as the Giants clock mismanagement at the end of the first half, and a poor play call to end the fourth quarter gave the Bills the shameful 14-9 victory. 

The following week in Foxborough, the Bills were once again unlike themselves, as Buffalo’s defence was problematic. Mac Jones passed for a season-best 83.3 completion percentage for New England, while averaging a high 9.1 yards per pass. Jones led the one-win Patriots down the field from their own 25-yard line, scoring the game-winning touchdown with 12 seconds left in the game. The 29-25 loss was the low point in the Bills’ season given their far superior talent and potential compared to Bill Belichick’s team. 

Clearly, the bad has been dreadful, as the Bills have lacked success against weaker opposition. Their play against inferior teams is something that needs to change if the Bills want to compete for another division title and ultimately make a deep playoff run to the Super Bowl. 

The Ugly 

The Bills are 1-2 on the road this season, plus a “home” loss in London, England to the Jaguars. Unfortunately for Buffalo, five of their remaining nine games this season are outside of Orchard Park, which includes facing legit Super Bowl contenders on the road. 

The tough road battles begin this Sunday night as the Bills travel to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals. The Bengals have had their own issues this season, but a team led by Joe Burrow who went to the Super Bowl in 2022 shouldn’t be taken lightly. 

From there, the Bills’ next two road games are on Nov. 26^th and Dec. 10^th when they face last year’s Super Bowl teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, in back-to-back games. The Eagles and Chiefs have a combined 13-3 record through eight games and rank in the top ten in both offensive and defensive yards per game this season. Those games will be gruesome as each team will be battling for every single yard. 

The road schedule for Buffalo concludes with another primetime game on the Saturday night before Christmas Eve in Los Angeles against the Chargers, before heading to Hard Rock Stadium to face division rival Miami Dolphins in the season finale on Jan. 7^th.  

To make matters worse, the Bills will be without numerous key players for those critical matchups. 

Pro-Bowl linebacker Matt Milano suffered a fractured leg in the loss to Jacksonville and will be out indefinitely after requiring surgery, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Milano has been impactful for the Bills’ defence in the five games he played, registering 30 tackles, two interceptions and a forced fumble, and is a big loss for the Bills behind their defensive line. 

Also on defence, cornerback Tre’Davious White is out for the remainder of the season after tearing his Achilles in the win against Miami. White has an interception and 10 tackles in four games this season, as his ability to defend against top-notch speedy receivers like Tyreek Hill will be missing from Buffalo’s defence. His presence will be missed especially as skilled receivers A.J. Brown, Ja’Marr Chase and others will be up against the Bills in the coming weeks. 

Other players on injured reserve for the Bills are tight end Dawson Knox, running back Damien Harris, defensive tackle DaQuan Jones, wide receiver Justin Shorter and offensive tackle Tommy Doyle. 

For more information on the Buffalo Bills, click here. 

The McGill Basketball Classic should bring tough battles and matchups, which is exactly what the Badgers need in preparation for the start of the OUA season. 

The Brock Badgers women’s basketball team will be competing in the McGill Basketball Classic in Montreal, Quebec from Oct. 20^th to 22^nd as they conclude their exhibition schedule before the regular season begins at home on Nov. 3^rd. 

The Badgers are coming off a 1-1 weekend at home where they lost to Laval University 80-65 on Friday but defeated St. John Fisher University 91-62 on Sunday afternoon.  

In their first game of the tournament, the Badgers will be up against the 2023 Reseau du Sport Etudiant du Quebec (RSEQ) Runner-up Bishop’s Gaiters. The Gaiters dominated the regular season a year ago, winning 14 of 16 matches en route to the top spot in the league. Their only two losses of the regular season were by one point and three points, putting up a hard-fought effort in every game. 

Bishop’s will be without last season’s graduating star Amaiquen Siciliano, but the Gaiters still have many quality pieces which should test the Badgers as they prepare for the start of the OUA season. 

One of the key pieces for Bishop’s, who should have a bigger role in Siciliano’s absence, is forward Victoria Gauna. The Argentinian averaged 12.2 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game last season in 15 games played. Gauna’s versatility as a big, scoring from in the paint but also stretching the floor shooting 34 per cent from three last season, will test Brock’s Madison MacInnis and Olivia Fiorucci. Guarding Gauna will serve as beneficial preparation for forwards MacInnis and Fiorucci as they’ll likely be matched up with similar players all season long. 

In Brock’s second game of the tournament, the Badgers are up against the University of New Brunswick Reds.  

The Reds finished last season in fourth place in the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Conference amassing a 12-8 record. UNB squeaked past Memorial University by one-point in the quarterfinals before falling to Acadia in the semis. 

Leading the Reds is senior wing Jayda Veinot. The six-footer had a remarkable season a year ago showcasing her capabilities on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the Nova Scotia-native scored 17.5 points per game last season which was fifth-most in the AUS, along with the fourth-highest three-point percentage at 41.6, and the third-highest field goal percentage at 50.6 percent. On the defensive end, Veinot ranked third in steals with 37 and secured the fifth-most rebounds on the defensive glass with 98. 

Veinot’s athleticism will test the Badgers’ defence that had a solid statistical season last year. Brock’s defence allowed the fourth-lowest field goal percentage, fifth-lowest points against per game and sixth-lowest three-point percentage against in the OUA in 2022-23. Head coach Mike Rao will be looking for defenders Theresa Brown and Noor Bazi to step up against Veinot in anticipation of similar statured and styled players that OUA rivals – McMaster, Carleton and Ottawa – have to offer. 

To conclude the tournament, McGill – the hosts – will be Brock’s final opponent of the 2023 exhibition schedule. 

While McGill had a poor season a year ago, finishing in last place in RSEQ with a 3-13 record, there are many intangibles from that game that can prepare the Badgers for the upcoming season. 

The hostile McGill crowd at Love Competition Hall in Montreal is one of them and will serve as an electrifyingly devious atmosphere against the Badgers. The experience of playing in an atmosphere like that is important for when those similar environments arise come playoff time and at the U Sports National Championship in Alberta that Brock hopes to be a part of. 

The McGill game will also be the final in-game opportunity for fringe players to show Coach Rao why they deserve to be in the rotation to start the season. Expect that the Badgers will play hard from start to finish, with bench players getting the bulk of the minutes hoping to seize the opportunity. 

The Badgers open the regular season at home on Nov. 3^rd against the Toronto Varsity Blues. For more information on the Brock Badgers women’s basketball team click here. 

The Brock Badgers faced off against the Nipissing Lakers in a one-sided showdown that left the home team disappointed.

The matchup took place on Sunday, Oct. 22 at Canada Games Park. Unfortunately for the Badgers, the No. 7 ranked Nipissing Lakers emerged victorious with a dominant 5-0 win, handing the Badgers their first loss of the season. 

The Badgers had entered the game with high spirits, coming off a stunning victory against the No. 3 Toronto Varsity Blues the night before. However, Nipissing’s offensive prowess and stellar goaltending proved to be a formidable challenge. 

The scoring began in the first period when Nipissing’s Tessa Kosec found the back of the net, setting the tone for the Lakers’ offensive onslaught. The second period saw Katie Chomiak extending Nipissing’s lead to 2-0 with a power-play goal, showcasing the Lakers’ effectiveness with the man advantage. Emma Neff furthered Nipissing’s lead with another goal, pushing the score to 3-0. 

Nipissing continued to assert their dominance in the third period. Malory Dominico scored on the power play, emphasizing the Lakers’ special team’s proficiency. The game’s final goal was netted by Madison Laberge, sealing Nipissing’s 5-0 victory. 
 

A standout performance for the Lakers came from Maggie McKee, who notched three assists during the game. Nipissing’s netminder, Chantelle Sandquist, was in exceptional form, securing a shutout by stopping all of Brock’s 13 shots on goal. The Lakers also outshot the Badgers significantly, with a final shot tally of 36-13 in favour of Nipissing. 

 
The game featured several penalties, demonstrating the frustration of the matchup. Nipissing capitalized on two of their three power plays, while the Badgers couldn’t convert any of their opportunities. 

 
With this loss, the Badgers moved to a 2-1 record early in the season. Their next challenge will be hosting the Windsor Lancers at Canada Games Park on Friday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets online here, and the game will also be livestreamed on OUA.tv. 

The NFL season is almost at the halfway point with the conclusion of Week 7 on Monday, Oct. 23. 

With that, teams, players and fans have a pretty good look at how competitive their teams will be for the remainder of the season. Teams such as the Miami Dolphins are looking forward to continuing their success into the second half of the season while the winless Carolina Panthers probably can’t wait for the season to be over. Let’s take a look at the three best and worst teams in the NFL thus far:  

Top Three:  

#1 Kansas City Chiefs (6-1)  

The Kansas City Chiefs have been “Fearless” in the first seven weeks of the season, led by the “Enchanting” Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Much like Taylor Swift’s hit, their synergy and “Love Story” on the field has left Chiefs fans in a state of “Happiness.” Mahomes ability to find the “Blank Space” on the field, leaves the opposing team’s defences “Breathless,” while Kelce’s performances continue to get “Crazier” by the week. In his week 7 matchup, Kelce not only scored a touchdown but also registered 179 yards receiving by the “End (of) Game.” It’s safe to say the Chiefs will never, ever, slow down with Mahomes and Kelce at the helm.  

#2 San Francisco 49ers (5-2):  

The 49ers have dropped their second game of the season and second game in a row to the Minnesota Vikings after starting 5-0. The 49ers played a great game but were unable to limit Kirk Cousins on defence and had two costly INT’s, one coming at the end of the game. McCaffrey scored two TD’s for the 49ers and looked 100% after sustaining an oblique injury in week 6, which is good news for 49ers fans. Despite the loss the 49ers are still one of the top teams in the league and will still contend for the top of the NFC conference.  

#3 Miami Dolphins (5-2): 

The Miami Dolphins are a must-watch team for any football fan. Tua Taigovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert and DeVon Achane have been absolutely electric this season. Tyreek Hill is on pace for 2,000 receiving yards this regular season – a milestone that has never been reached in the NFL (Calvin Johnson had 1964 regular season receiving yards in 2012). But this week, Miami was handed their second loss by the Philadelphia Eagles. Taigovailoa had a rare off-week, but no one expects that to carry on to next week against the New England Patriots. Expect the Dolphins to bounce back with a big offensive performance. 

Bottom Three:  

30. New England Patriots (2-5) 

The New England Patriots won their second game of the season beating the highly praised Buffalo Bills. It was the first time all year that the Patriots scored more than 20 points, beating the Bills 29-24. However, this does not take away from the fact that the team has been one of the worst in the league for the first seven weeks. Mac Jones is not the QB everyone thought he would be and it is hurting the offence. He is currently averaging just over 200 yards in the air per game, and for every touchdown he’s thrown, he has also thrown an interception. Bill Bellichek is running out of ideas and it is starting to show that even he does not believe in this team.  

31. Arizona Cardinals (1-6) 

The Cardinals were expected to be at the bottom of the league this season and they have lived up to expectations. Arizona lost their 3^rd straight game on Sunday to the Seattle Seahawks 20-10. Their offence, which does not have many weapons, is struggling to get anything going this season with QB2 Joshua Dobbs at the helm. It is honestly a miracle that this team is not 0-7 and managed to beat the Dallas Cowboys in week 3 as their offence ranks 31^st in the league and defence ranks 28^th. The Cardinals can look forward to Kyler Murray making his return in the next couple of weeks along with a few of their defensive players.  

32. Carolina Panthers (0-6)  

Carolina Panther fans should be celebrating in the streets after a glorious week 7. This marks the first week where they did not record a loss, but they also did not play. The Panthers had a bye week this week, keeping them as the only winless team left in the NFL. Panthers fans have a bright future ahead of them with Bryce Young at QB, but you might as well throw in the towel on the 2023 season. Injuries to four key defensive players have plagued what could have been a very promising year for the Panthers. On the bright side, they do have a weak schedule coming up as they will play the Texans, Colts and Bears. If they were to win a game this season, it would be one of those three.  

The Brock Badgers women’s soccer team qualified for the playoffs as the sixth seed in the OUA West, after surviving the late York Lions comeback to draw 2-2 on Sunday afternoon in Toronto. Both teams came into the season finale neck-and-neck in the standings, vying for the final playoff spot. 

Given the game’s importance, the match started pedestrianly as both teams were cautious with the ball, afraid to make any mistakes in the early going. After both teams got more involved in the game, Brock stepped on the gas pedal, showing promise with strong build-up play and quality possession in York’s half. 

The Badgers’ high press and tenacity for the ball earned them a free kick in the 24^th minute. Brianna Bishop, Brock’s set piece specialist, beautifully delivered the ball on target from approximately 25 yards out, which forced a diving save by Lions’ keeper Charlotte Phillips. The ball then bounced to an unmarked Makenna Williamson in the box who buried the game’s opening goal. 

Brock quickly added to their lead eight minutes later from outside the 18-yard box. Cerrina Toromoreno casually crossed the ball on net which surprised Phillips, resulting in the ball trickling across the goal line putting the Badgers up 2-0, capping off a dominant first half for the visitors. 

However, the second half was a different story. 

York, needing three goals in the second half to beat Brock and leapfrog them in the standings for the final playoff spot, came out of the halftime break inspired in front of their home crowd.  

Four minutes into the second half, York’s Maia Torelli scored her fourth goal of the season, rejuvenating confidence within her squad. The Lions’ resurgence in the second half led to seven shots on goal, many of which were high-quality scoring chances. 

Brock senior keeper Emma Hendrie was forced to make numerous enormous saves in her final OUA regular season game to keep the Badgers’ playoff hopes alive. The Sault Ste Marie-native recorded five saves in the match, including a huge leaping save to her right to keep the Badgers in the lead. 

However, in the 86^th minute, Torelli scored her second of the game to tie it at two, setting up a nail-biting finish to the regular season. 

The Lions pushed all outfield players forward in the dying seconds, with hopes of scoring their third unanswered goal and qualifying for the playoffs. But Hendrie and the Badgers had other ideas, spoiling the York comeback and securing a spot in Wednesday’s playoff game. 

In the first round of the playoffs on Oct. 25^th, the Badgers are headed to Guelph to take on the third seed in the OUA West. The Gryphons (8-2-2) won eight of 12 games this season including a 2-0 win over Brock at Alumni Field. The Badgers will be looking to avenge that loss and earn a spot in the OUA Quarterfinals on Oct. 28^th.  

Kickoff for the playoff game against Guelph is scheduled for 6 p.m at Gryphon Soccer Complex. For more information on the Brock Badgers women’s soccer team, click here. 

The Las Vegas Aces came back from multiple double-digit deficits in game four of the WNBA Finals to defeat the New York Liberty 70-69 and win the best-of-five series 3-1.

This marks Las Vegas’ second consecutive WNBA Commissioner’s Cup championship, which makes the Aces the first team to accomplish such a feat since the Los Angeles Sparks won back-to-back titles in 2001-02. 

A’ja Wilson, the 2023 WNBA Finals MVP, led the way for the Aces with 24 points and 16 rebounds for her third double-double of these finals. 

Wilson’s dominance was needed on both ends of the floor, as Las Vegas was without two starters from game three, Kiah Stokes and Chelsea Gray. Gray’s absence was especially worrisome to the Aces given that the point guard has been outstanding throughout these playoffs, averaging 15.6 points and 6.8 assists per game. 

The veteran guard’s inability to be on the court was evident early as Las Vegas found themselves down 23-13 after the first quarter and 42-30 under a minute into the third quarter. 

However, the third quarter, which has been Las Vegas’ most dominant quarter this season, was the turning point in the game. The Aces outscored the Liberty 23-12 in the third, including two separate runs of 12-4 and 9-0 to take the lead after three quarters of play. 

Centre Cayla George drained two three-pointers in a 1:01 span in the third, filling the void left by Stokes’ absence. Wilson was also stellar in that quarter, scoring eight of her game-high 24 points, all of which were in consecutive baskets for the Aces down the stretch. 

The sudden pendulum swing entering the fourth silenced the roaring New York crowd at the Barclays Center, leaving them stunned at what transpired. The Liberty supporters were also shellshocked that the offence, which was free-flowing and flashy in the first half, was stone cold in the second half. 

From the end of the third quarter to the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Liberty offence went on a dry spell that included missing 13 of 15 field goal attempts, many of which were wide open and high percentage chances. 

But the crowd in Brooklyn came back to life when Sabrina Ionescu nailed a three-pointer three-and-a-half minutes into the fourth, cutting the Las Vegas lead to two. Ionescu finished the game shooting three of seven from deep for 13 points. 

From there, it was back-and-forth as both teams traded baskets and defensive stops setting up a nail-biting finish to the 27^th WNBA season, one of the most successful seasons in league history. 

With the New York faithful on their feet down one, the Liberty had a chance to write a storybook ending and send the game to a decisive game five. 

With eight seconds left in the game, Brianna Stewart – who shot a disappointing 17.6 per cent from the field – received the in-bounds pass before being forced to swing the ball cross-court eventually finding Courtney Vandersloot in the dying seconds. Vandersloot, who led the Liberty in points with 19, shot up a prayer that rimmed out, giving the Aces the one-point win. 

In the win, four of the Aces’ starters – A’ja Wilson, Alysha Clark, Cayla George and Jackie Young – finished in double figures in scoring, showing their well-balanced attack beyond just Wilson’s tenacity and strong physicality in the paint. The group also showed their hustle and relentlessness, fighting back from numerous deficits on the road to claim the second WNBA title in Las Vegas Aces franchise history.  

The Raptors are about to begin regular season action on Oct. 25^th against the Minnesota Timberwolves after a 4-0 preseason which included wins against the Sacramento Kings, Cairns Taipans (Australian basketball team), Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.

With a perfect preseason behind them and the many positives that came from it, here are five bold predictions for the Raptors heading into the 2023-24 season. 

Gradey Dick is a Rookie of the Year finalist 

Expectations are high for the Raptors’ coveted first round pick from this year’s NBA Draft. 

Gradey Dick, the former Kansas Jayhawks’ sharpshooter, is anticipated to fill a massive void in the Raptors offence from last season: three-point shooting. The 19-year-old shot 40.6 per cent from three last season in college, leading the Jayhawks in three-pointers made. 

His shooting touch is crucial for the Raptors’ success and has the capabilities of earning him Rookie of the Year votes. 

Obviously, the field is daunting, as highly anticipated superstar Victor Wembanyama towers over the competition, but lights out shooting goes a long way in the modern NBA and could surprise many basketball fans, especially those down south. 

Dennis Schröder looks like his prime Hawks self 

Dennis Schröder is coming off an impressive summer leading the German national team to the 2023 FIBA World Cup Championship with 19.1 points and 6.1 assists per game in the tournament.  

The Raptors are hoping that Schröder’s dominance on the international stage this past summer can rejuvenate him to the player he once was in Atlanta. As a member of the Hawks, Schröder racked up a career-high 19.4 points per game in the 2017-18 season and a career-high 6.3 assists the season prior.  

Since leaving the Hawks, the 30-year-old has seen a decline in his statistics. Last season with the Lakers, the point guard only averaged 12.6 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and only shot 41.6 per cent from the field a year ago.  

Stepping out of the shadow of LeBron James and Anthony Davis may be what Schröder needs as he’s anticipated to have an increased role on offense this season. 

Schröder is expected to handle the ball more than he did with the Lakers, which should allow him to showcase his playmaking abilities and rack up his assist totals. In the absence of former Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet, expect Schröder to be involved in the pick-and-roll with centre Jakob Poetl, reminiscence of his days in Atlanta with Dwight Howard. 

From a scoring perspective, Schröder is one of the fastest players in the league and should blow past defenders en route to attacking the glass. With the threat of attacking the rim at any second, expect off-ball defenders to be shaded closer towards the net which will open passing lanes to Toronto’s three-point shooters, providing another element in the German’s repertoire. 

Malachi Flynn becomes a consistent option off the bench 

Malachi Flynn has had a slow start to his NBA career. Since getting drafted by the Raptors in 2020, the Washington State-native has only averaged 5.5 points and 1.9 assists per game in 144 games played in Nick Nurse’s system over three seasons. The inconsistent playing time under Nurse has attributed to a career-low field goal percentage of 36 per cent last season. 

Good news for Flynn, the hire of new head coach Darko Rajakovic means that the first-round pick once again has the opportunity to prove his value to the team and earn consistent minutes. 

When playing consistently, the 25-year-old has shown his potential. In the last five games of his rookie season where he earned quality minutes, Flynn averaged 19 points per game, including a career-high 27-point performance against the Indiana Pacers. 

Clearly the skill and potential are there, and with both Nick Nurse and all-star point guard Fred VanVleet gone, it will be up to Flynn to jump on the opportunity to become a reliable and preferred option for Rajakovic off the bench. 

O.G. Anunoby is named an All-Star 

O.G. Anunoby has never been an NBA All-Star but is probably deserving of it. 

The 26-year-old was named to the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2022-23 showcasing his defensive capabilities tallying a league-leading 1.9 steals among qualified players. 

Offensively, the former Indiana Hoosier scored 16.8 points per game and five rebounds per game last season showing his grit on both sides of the ball. 

This season, expect no different as the London, U.K.-native’s numbers are likely to increase as the Raptors’ look for a more balanced attack especially as all-star VanVleet is no longer in Toronto. Especially if Dick can knock down key shots, his shooting threat will space the floor and give Anunoby and others more space to operate, especially in isolation. 

Anunoby’s isolation frequency of 6.2 per cent was among the lowest in the NBA last season. If he can get into more one-on-one situations and use his power and size to dominate defenders, Anunoby will surely be in the conversation of being among the league’s best at the 2024 All-Star Game in Indianapolis. 

The Raptors finish top five in the Eastern Conference 

Last season, the Raptors finished in ninth place in the East with an even 41-41 record. 

Despite their positioning, they only finished six games back of the fifth-place New York Knicks and it wouldn’t be surprising if the Raptors elevated into the top five this time around. 

Among the contenders in the East, it is clear that the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics got better – but then that’s it. 

The Philadelphia 76ers – third place in the East last year – are going through their own circus with the fiasco that surrounds James Harden and his desires to leave Philly. 

Similarly, the Brooklyn Nets went through their own rollercoaster last season as many of their wins a year ago came with a disgruntled Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving on their roster – two players that have since been traded. The Nets’ win total is expected to decline with the two future Hall of Famers no longer in Brooklyn. 

In Cleveland, the Cavaliers are a good but young team and could go through ups and downs this year leaving the door open for Toronto to sneak into the top third of the East standings. 

Obviously, the Raptors will need to play well to earn a top five spot in the East but given the weaker conference that the Raptors find themselves in, it is not out of the realm of possibility that they propel up the standings. 

For more information on the Toronto Raptors, head to raptors.com. 

Brock’s men’s hockey team looked to continue a torrid start to their season coming into this past weekend.  

The Badgers returned home to Canada Games Park on Friday, Oct. 20^th having won eight matches straight, including their first four regular season matches.  

The Badgers lost their first game of the year in exhibition play against the Ohio University Bobcats but came back to win the follow-up 7-0. Brock hasn’t looked back since, winning every match while only surrendering 1.5 goals per game. 

Brock’s first match of the weekend came Friday against the Queen’s University Gaels, who also entered the game with an undefeated 4-0 record. The Gaels also entered with the most goals for (24 to Brock’s 17) and best goal differential (+15 to Brock’s +10) in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA). Brock projected to have their hands full with a high-powered offence and equally stingy defence. 

Despite the promise of a tightly matched offensive showdown, the early returns on this prediction were not great.  

On the contrary, for much of the first period both sides found themselves embroiled in a gritty war of attrition, each team fighting doggedly for every loose puck. Neither the Badgers nor Gaels budged an inch as the teams’ transition and breakouts devolved into chip-and-chase games, only furthering the games’ back-and-forth intensity. 

As the period wore on with both teams struggling to break through the neutral zone, the Badgers started to find more success with their play off the cycle. This manifested itself in several flurries of chances for Brock at the Queen’s goalmouth.  

Brock left the first outshooting the Gaels 16-8, but for all their chances, couldn’t find the back of the net, ending the period in a 0-0 draw. 

The Badgers came into the second picking up right where they left off, using what’d been working well for them: creating turnovers deep in the Gaels’ end and working the cycle. Brock created many great early chances this way, keeping Queens on their toes. 

Finally, their hard-nosed game paid dividends.  

Near the five-minute mark of the second, defenseman Oliver Deroches flipped the puck into the Queens’ zone where it was picked up by a Gaels defender in the high slot. 

Struggling to handle the puck, the defenseman was unprepared for the forechecking of Jordan Stock, who forced a turnover right in front of the Queens net. Christophe Cote followed the play to the net and made no mistake with the loose puck, firing a snapshot by the goalie’s glove for a 1-0 Badgers lead.  

After the goal, the period was bogged down by penalties on both sides for much of the middle of the second frame. However, with five-and-a-half minutes left, a shot-block sent the Badgers up ice on an odd-man rush with captain Jared Marino leading the charge. 

Marino entered the Gaels’ zone and threw a pass to the right wing that bounced to Justin Brack who was barreling into the high slot. Brack pulled the puck to his backhand, evading a Queens defender, before slinging the puck to Ryan Stepien who slapped it home on a one-timer. 

After fending off a few more of Queens’ chances, Brock seemed in danger of losing their 2-0 lead after Jacob Roach took a penalty with less than a minute remaining. The Badgers would make short work of their disadvantage though. 

An active stick from Matthew Barnes allowed Stock to pick up the puck on the half-wall and burst up the ice on another two-on-one with Cote. Stock found Cote on the right wing in the neutral zone, giving him plenty of time to walk in, pick his spot and fire one past the goalie from the top of the circle. 

After the 3-0 goal, it was all academic for the Badgers, who piled on three more in the third, coming away with a convincing 6-0 win over their highest-ranked opponent to date. 

Cote’s two goals lead the team in that category while Stock, who added a third helper on Ethan Sims’ goal in the final period, lead in assists. Goaltender Connor Ungar finished with a 33-save shutout. 

Brock got ready to do it all over again the next day, playing the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) Paladins on the 21^st. 

From the get-go, the Badgers faced little pressure.  

Seemingly out of their depth, the Paladins were outclassed by the Badgers. RMC’s dismantling began early as well, with them falling behind 6-1 by midway through the second period, while only mustering eight shots on net.  

The early gap quickly brought out the ferocity from both sides. Either side was looking for every opportunity to lay the body or get an extra slash in. A Paladins forward even mistakenly landed a small bodycheck on a referee with unfortunate timing.  

With both teams guilty of mouthing-off and a number of undisciplined stick-checks, the second half of the game was almost entirely comprised of shorthanded hockey.  

RMC briefly brought the game closer on one such powerplay, but Ethan Simms struck soon after with his third of the night, stretching the score to 7-2.   

By the end of the third period, the lead had only gotten more lopsided with the Badgers piling on two more, winning by a final score of 9-2.  

Brock’s next two games fall during a road trip to Quebec where the Badgers will face McGill University on Oct. 27^th and Concordia University the following evening. 

For Brock’s full schedule and results, please go to gobadgers.ca. 

Brock’s men’s lacrosse team was back in action this weekend, playing in games nine and ten in their final matches of the season.  

On Saturday, Oct. 21^st, the Badgers faced off against the University of Toronto Varsity Blues for the second time this season. Toronto, who sits second to last in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association’s (CUFLA) West division, lost by a decisive 12-5 score the last time the two met on Sept.16^th.  

Brock, who now sits in third place in the West with CUFLA’s second-ranked offence, was looking to replicate that performance. 

Luckily for the Badgers, that’s almost exactly how it played out. 

Mimicking their previous game against Toronto almost verbatim, Brock’s leading scorer Avery Steinbach-Parker potted the Badgers with just over three minutes remaining in the first quarter.  

With 11 seconds left, Steinbach-Parker’s goal looked to stand as the lone marker in the first before Blair Pachereva—Badgers’ second-highest goal-scorer—battled his way through several Blues to find the back of the net with three Toronto defenders draped over him. 

“C’mon, that guy’s gotta be on his a**!” yelled a Toronto player in frustration as Pachereva celebrated his way to the Badgers’ bench. 

Pachereva would strike again soon after. 

Three minutes into the second quarter, Pachereva scored his second of the night stretching the lead to 3-0. Pachereva’s goal remained the only one of the frame with the Badgers holding the lead until early in the third.  

Toronto found themselves the first team on the board in the second half, scoring two minutes in.  

However, their celebration would be short-lived.  

The Badgers quickly responded in kind with Colton Armitage grabbing his first of the game less than two minutes later. The Badgers would pump two more behind the Blues’ goaltender before the quarter was up, with a goal from Brodie Thoms and Steinbach-Parker’s second of the night. 

From there, Toronto had no response to the Badgers’ offence. The Blues couldn’t find another goal the rest of the way, while the Badgers had no trouble, adding three more in the fourth quarter, winning 9-1. 

With another outstanding performance, Steinbach-Parker maintained his role as Brock’s main offensive catalyst, finishing with two goals and two assists, game highs in both categories. Steinbach-Parker sits at 17 goals and 26 points through nine games played. 

Pachereva and Armitage both also finished with two goals, while Aidan Buis had a goal and an assist in the win.  

Only a day later, the Badgers would line up again at Alumni Field to play the McMaster University Marauders in their final game of the regular season.  

McMaster is a middle-of-the-pack team, and the Badgers didn’t anticipate much trouble. Surprisingly, the Marauders struck first – and all the more surprising – it took them until two minutes remaining in the first half to break the ice.  

After a scoreless third quarter, the Badgers looked doomed to lose this tight, low-scoring match. But, who else but Steinbach-Parker would open the scoring for the Badgers in the fourth quarter. Brock had the run of the game from there on out with Armitage and Jaden Patterson both scoring to secure a 3-1 nailbiter.  

The win leaves Brock with a final 7-3 record, placing them in a tie for fourth in the CUFLA. 

With the CUFLA regular season coming to a close, the Badgers will have to wait and see who they will face in their playoff matchups. For more information, please go to gobadgers.ca.

This past weekend, Brock women’s volleyball took the long road to Kingston to play the Queen’s University Gaels in a rematch of last year’s Provincial Championship. 

The Badgers beat Queen’s handily during last year’s regular season, winning in straight sets in their two meetings, but had a more difficult go in the Quigley Cup where they won despite dropping two sets.  

On Nov. 18^th, the first of two matches got underway in much the same fashion as last year’s regular season matchups.  

In set one, after a 5-5 tie game devolved into a 12-6 advantage to the Badgers, the set was not very interesting. Emily Foest and Sadie Dick punched in the final four points of the set for kills, taking it 25-16. 

Set two was marginally more exciting. This time around, Queen’s was decent enough to stretch the score to 13-13 before having their brakes blown off. The Gaels got a few token points down the stretch, but all the same the Badgers won set two by a convincing 25-19.  

Unfortunately for the Gaels or any viewer hoping for an ounce of intrigue, Queen’s was again trounced in set three. Brock first turned a 10-10 tie into a 14-10 lead. They then stretched that lead into an even more impressive 20-13 lead. From there, there was nothing for the Gaels to do except roll over and accept a 25-17 set loss and a straight-set defeat.  

Perhaps feeling the sting of the dispiriting loss, Queen’s returned with a vengeance in game two, looking much more the part of a Provincial finalist. 

Brock took a significant lead early, going up 10-5 in set one, and though it seemed that they would soon squander it with the Gaels brining it as close as 10-8, the Badgers managed to hold on, though not without difficulty.  

Queen’s managed to pull the score within one or two several times down the stretch, including a close call when they brought it within one, down only 19-18. The Gaels battled hard, but the Badgers scored 6 of the final nine points to take set one.  

Set two, they were not so lucky.  

Killing the Badgers at the net, the Gaels jumped out to a sizeable 12-2 lead. Brock clawed back to make it much more respectable, but still fell 25-20.  

In set three it was Brock’s turn to grab a lead and run with it. Capitalizing on the Gaels’ most error-prone set, the Badgers were able to establish a five-point lead and maintain or grow that margin throughout the set, eventually winning 25-17.  

 Now up 2-1, this was a great chance for the Badgers to put Queen’s away, but the Gaels completely flipped the game on its head, starting in the fourth set.  

Though the score stayed close, the Gaels held a definite advantage throughout set three. It was only once they’d eclipsed the 20-point barrier that Queen’s really started to pull away, scoring seven of the final nine points to take it 25-18, forcing a playoff set. Set four was the worst of Brock’s weekend, recording only seven kills to 10 errors. Queen’s, on the other hand, had one of their most efficient, with 13 kills to three errors.  

The Gaels did their best to put the game away early, running up the score to 4-10, but the Badgers battled hard and were able to bring it back to 11-12. That was unfortunately the closest they would get: Queen’s secured the final three points, winning the set 11-15, and the match 2-3.  

The Badgers play their last two games before the winter break at home, facing Lakehead University on Dec. 1^st and 2^nd. For more information, please visit gobadger.ca.