(Posted July 20, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Juniata College field hockey team will get an early jump on pre-season practice and competition when it heads to Ontario in August to face three Canadian universities in exhibition contests.

The Eagles will face three of Canada's top field hockey programs in as many days between August 23-25.

Juniata will head to the Kitchener-Waterloo region on Monday, Aug. 23, to open the three-game swing against the University of Waterloo. Game time will be 6:30 p.m. The Waterloo Warriors were sixth in the final 2009 Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) field hockey poll.

The trip continues on Tuesday, Aug. 24, against the University of Guelph in Guelph, Ontario, at 6:30 p.m. Guelph field hockey squad was ranked fifth in the final 2009 CIS field hockey poll. The Gryphons won the 2009 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championship, and finished fourth at the CIS women's field hockey championship.

Juniata closes out the exhibition trip on Wednesday, Aug. 25, against the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. Game time will be 5:30 p.m. at the Mustangs' TD Waterhouse Stadium. UWO took bronze in the 2009 OUA tournament.

"We cannot wait to kick off our 2010 season with a competitive pre-season by playing three of the top teams in Ontario. Taking this international trip to Canada allows our team to begin forming earlier through practices, team bonding and games," said Juniata head field hockey coach Caroline Gillich. "We believe this will be one of our best seasons yet and we are confident that we're doing everything in our power to come out of the gates at full speed."

"We are the type of program that sees consistent improvement throughout the season in order to peak at the end. We have an exceptionally strong schedule this year and will play many top 20 teams in the first three weeks. We have a seasoned group of seniors and upperclassmen that are ready to play and compete for a national championship, that is what we are planning to do," said Gillich.

Field hockey is the third Juniata team to head to Canada in as many seasons for exhibition games. Juniata men's basketball ventured to Ontario in December 2007, while the men's volleyball team traveled to Edmonton, Alberta, in October 2009. NCAA Division III rules permit a team to travel outside the United States once every four years for an exhibition tour.

Schedule for Juniata Field Hockey
2010 trip to Canada


Monday, Aug. 23 - Juniata at Univ. of Waterloo â?" 6:30 pm
Tuesday, Aug. 24 - Juniata at Univ. of Guelph â?" 6:30 pm
Wednesday, Aug. 25 - Juniata at Univ. of Western Ontario â?" 5:30 pm

-30-

Our readers respond...

Be the first to provide a response.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.