UBC Women's Field Hockey magic

November 8, 2015, at the gold medal game of the Canadian Universities' Women's Field Hockey Championships at UVic.  Rowan played in goal for UBC.  Colin and Cole and I were there (thanks to Janet!).  With a few seconds to go, UVic led 2-1, but UBC got the ball into the UVic end and a penalty corner was called.  The clock was run to 0 time, the penalty play was allowed, and UBC scored!  Now tied 2-2, which meant shoot-outs.  Five players from each team, in one-on-one with the goalie, each in turn starting from the centre line, with 8 seconds to get the ball past the goalie and into the goal.  I could hardly watch.  Rowan was magnificent, saving three of the four UVic attempts.  UBC got three in and won the game!  No one could quite believe it.  Cole figures there were goblins.

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Here are a few of my photos (from a fair distance, in the dark).

Before the game ...

UBC on the left (in blue), UVic on the right

… and after!

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Rowan in action in a previous game (photo not by me).  UBC vs Guelph

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And go to "AP shutter" or "kevinlightphotography.wordpress.com/2015/11/09/uvic-vikes-thunderstruck-in-penalty-shots/" for some REAL photos.

Benner-Bandy hospitality

Five days before the Canadian Universities Women's FIeld Hockey tournament in Victoria, with Rowan in goal in her first major tournament, Janet found Colin a plane ticket (on points), Colin got the OK from his principal for three days off school (his first ever), and arrived in Vancouver on his birthday (birthday supper with his Vancouver family - also first ever)!  If he was going to Rowan's games, so was I! (again, thank you Janet!)  

Janet had also been in touch with her close school friend, Leah, to see if we could sleep at their Victoria home.  Yes.  Turns out they (Leah, Keith and daughters Kiera and Claire) had just moved, in July, from North Vancouver to Keith's family home in Gordon Head, Victoria (quite near UVic).  A fine time to have visitors!  Keith is still trying to get his two brothers to take away more of his parents' stuff, including the head of a bighorn sheep (a relic from his wildlife-biologist father's field-work days in the Ashnola).  When Colin and I arrived mid-Friday, we found Keith and one brother pouring over two ancient bird books, deep in a discussion about the difference between blue grouse and ruffed grouse (or maybe willow grouse?)  A family pastime.  A warm welcome from them all, and a wonderful stay, interspersed with Rowan's games! 

Patrick, a 3-month-old Nova Scotia Duck Toller, had recently been added to the family as an inducement to the girls to leave their North Van home.  It's clearly worked.  The girls are settled and happy in their "new" home and Patrick is a delight.  A cross between a cat and a fox, Colin says  - but with the temperament of a "stuffy".  Keith had that day discovered a raw-petfood store.  Here, Patrick has been given a whole frozen herring and is making short work of it.

Here he is cuddled by at least three members of the family.

Doco joined us on Saturday night for Rowan's Sunday-final game, after staying in Vancouver to see Thomson's BC cross country race, through ankle-deep mud, in sheeting rain at Jericho (Thomson came 7th; his good friend Kieran won.  Bravo, Thomson!).
Here we all are in the Bandy's large garden, full of interesting trees and plants.  Keith figures what he most wants to do now is garden.  There's lots to work with!

Thank you Leah and Keith!  Now it's Janet's turn to visit.