The Rosseau Lake College Timberwolves secured their second consecutive win in the girls’ field hockey championship, taking victory over Trinity College in Port Hope on Nov. 1.
The team replicated last year’s overtime win to take home gold for level D in the Conference of Independent Schools Athletic Association (CISAA). Like last year, the win was hard fought, ending in a 1-0 overtime victory. Forward Maya Mullen of Parry Sound scored the game-winning goal for the Timberwolves. Jacqueline Priolo, athletic director at Rosseau Lake College, said the repeat win is something special not every athlete gets to experience. She praised the players for their hard work and for creating the ultimate team environment.
“The Rosseau Lake College Timberwolves field hockey team is a group of gritty athletes who know how to dig in, work hard and celebrate each other’s successes,” she said.
Though they had their ups and downs during the season, they were able to put together a unique team with a strong mix of new and returning players. Some players weren’t just new to the team but new to the sport overall.
“At one point in the season, we lost our goaltender, and in her place was a brand new field hockey player, who decided that she would step up to the challenge,” Priolo said. “That goalie is a student from China named Sarah, who got a shutout in the championships.”
Sarah had only played three games before the tournament, and one of them was a loss to Trinity College. Priolo said she was able to improve so quickly because of the competitive spirit cultivated amongst the players.
The team had a strong group of Grade 12 students last year who, along with offering their athletic prowess, were able to foster a sense of camaraderie and motivation. The legacy they left behind has helped the players challenge one another to be their absolute best.
“This year, some of the younger players who learned from those girls really stepped up,” Priolo said. “For example, Maya Mullen scored that game-winning goal in overtime, and there’s no doubt in my mind that she is an amazing athlete, but what’s more, she had the confidence to do it because the older girls from last year [passed] that on!”
