Cougars looking strong after first semester

The Mount Royal University Cougars have wrapped up the first half of their ACAC season with a number of teams either on top, on right in the thick of things.

Men’s Hockey
A huge win versus the top team in the league and their cross-town rivals, the SAIT Trojans, is how the men’s hockey team ended their first semester.

Sitting in second place overall with 24 points and an 11-3-0-2 record, the Cougars lead the league in goals against, allowing a stingy 1.9 goals per game. The team also ranks in the top two on special teams, having both the second ranked power-play and penalty kill in the league.

Forward Barry Horman leads the team in points with 24 in 16 games, while teammates Dan Spence and Justin Cote have been outstanding, combining for a 2.02 GAA.

With a pair of games remaining against the Trojans, as well as some other stiff competition in the ACAC, the Cougars will need to continue their inspired play if they want to be sporting gold come March.

Women’s Hockey
Undefeated through 13 games thus far, the Cougars women’s hockey team looks poised to repeat as ACAC champions, but still have another half of a season if they want to earn that prestigious honour.

Though the team has been tested, winning three games in overtime and tying one game on the season – the Cougars have been lights out on both ends of the rink, scoring a staggering 3.5 goals per game while allowing only 1.1 per contest.

The Cougars also boast seven of the league’s top ten scorers, as well as the league’s top goalie tandem in Leanne Pfilger and Kendall Kilgour.

The key for the women’s hockey team will be not to stay on top, but to not get complacent and capture their second consecutive league championship.

Men’s Basketball
The Cougars men’s basketball team seemed to be finding their form as the first-half of the season came to a close, winning their last five games in a row to improve to 7-3 on the year.

Sitting in second spot after the first semester, the Cougars will look to push the Lethbridge Kodiaks for top spot in the ACAC south division, come January.

Led by top scorer Steve Trinidad (18 ppg) the Cougars will continue to rely on their team defense, as the blue and white allow the third fewest points in the ACAC at only 75 per game.

After claiming an ACAC and CCAA gold medal in 2008-09, the Cougar men hope for the same after missing out on the medals last season.

 Women’s Basketball
Sporting an 8-2 record ten games into the season, the Cougar women’s basketball team looks as strong as ever after a half-season of play.

The team started the year off 5-0, before dropping a pair of games to the Grand Prairie Wolves and Grant MacEwan Griffins. The women rebounded nicely, showing great resiliency as they closed out the first half winning their final three games.

Celeste Clark and Jamie Morck have been a great 1-2 punch for the team, as the former CIS transfers have both average 14 points per game, to sit tied for fourth overall in division scoring.

With only ten games left, including a crucial home and home series with the 10-0 SAIT Trojans, each remaining game for the Cougars is more important than the last as the team strives for their first title since 2005-06.

Men’s Volleyball
After falling off the wagon a bit in the first semester, the Cougar men hope to jump right back on for the second, as the teams’ 4-6 record doesn’t do justice to a more talented team.

Left-side Dan Durham has been overwhelming for opposing team’s defenses in the first ten matches, averaging 3.5 kills per set, second best in the ACAC.

With a young roster, sporting 12 of 14 players who are either rookies or sophomores, coach Shawn Sky hopes to put together a strong second half in hopes of an ACAC title run.
 
Women’s Volleyball
Ten wins in ten games, has the Cougars women’s volleyball team nestled a top the ACAC leader board.

Having lost only three sets in the entire first semester, the Cougar women have been overpowering their opposition.

Andrea Price has been the team’s offensive catalyst, ranking second in kills per set, while teammate Julia Pasieka has done it all, ranking in the top ten in kills, as well as third in blocks per set.

Set to play host to the ACAC women’s volleyball championship, the Cougar women will look for some home cooking come playoff time.

With still another half season to get underway a number of the Cougars teams are looking poised to make titles runs. Only time will tell, but it’s been a strong first half of the season.

Congratulations to all the Cougars teams on a great first-half and we’ll see you back on the court or rink in January!