Four McGill teams in latest CIS Top 10

A second-place finish at the AUS Invitational in Halifax Nov. 20 helped the then unranked McGill Martlets swimming team leap into 6th place in the latest CIS Top 10 rankings. Their Redmen counterparts from the pool and both McGill hockey teams join them in this week's rankings.
Francis Verreault-Paul had a hat trick, including the game-winner with 11 seconds remaining in the final period, for the No.2 ranked McGill Redmen in their 4-3 defeat of Ryerson in Toronto last weekend.

By Jim Hynes

A second-place finish at the AUS Invitational in Halifax Nov. 20 helped the then unranked McGill Martlets swimming team leap into 6th place in the latest CIS Top 10 rankings. A double gold performance by Valerie de Broux (200m butterfly, 400m individual medley) and a gold in the 50m butterfly by Lei Lopez helped give the Martlets 360 points, behind the 679.5 earned by first place Dalhousie. The Redmen swimming team also finished second at the event, pushing them from 10th to 2nd place in the nation.

The hockey Redmen are ranked second in the country for the fifth consecutive week. Coach Kelly Nobes’ squad returned from a weekend trip to North Bay and Toronto with a pair of wins over the Nipissing Lakers (4-1) and the Ryerson Rams (4-3). In the latter matchup, Francis Verreault-Paul had a hat trick, including the game-winner with 11 seconds remaining in the final period, for road-weary McGill. Freshman goalie Mark Segal, who started with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants last season, made 31 saves for the Redmen, improving his record to 6-1. The victory moved McGill, owners of a 12-1-2 record, into sole possession of first place atop the OUA East Division standings, two points ahead of UQTR. The Redmen close out the semester with a rare morning game today against RMC at the Verdun Auditorium. The game is a virtual sell-out as the English School Board of Greater Montreal has purchased 3,700 tickets. The event is slated for a 10:30 a.m. start as part of a “Stay in School” promotion.

The No.1-ranked hockey Martlets, meanwhile, continued their winning ways last weekend, posting a pair of victories over Ottawa (3-0) and Concordia (6-2). Jordanna Peroff scored three goals and added a pair of assists against the cross-town rival Stingers.

McGill, which improved to 10-1-0 in league play, now have a month-long break in their schedule before hosting fourth-ranked St. Francis Xavier, Manitoba and No.2-Laurier, respectively, at the inaugural Martlet Holiday Invitational Tournament, Dec. 28-30.

The Volleyball Martlets, ranked 9th in the CIS as recently as Nov. 15, snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-0 triumph over Sherbrooke in a Quebec conference women’s volleyball tournament in Rimouski last Sunday. The victory ended the first semester on a positive note for the Martlets, who now get a month off to heal some bumps and bruises. They return to action at a post-Christmas tournament in Brandon, Man., Dec. 29-31.

 With files from Earl Zukerman, McGill Athletics & Recreation