BC wins Canadian Women's Team Championships

January 31, 2005

The #1 seeded team from BC won the Canadian Women's Team Squash Championships defeating Ontario 3-0 in the final. The BC Team of Melanie Jans, Lauren Wagner and Emma Parke completed their dominance over their competitors with a convincing t3-0 victory over the #2 seeded team from Ontario consisting of Ruchika Kumar, Izumi Matsuda and Neha Kumar. Melanie Jans was the only returning player from the BC team which won the event last year.

Alberta placed third in the the most closely contested playoff of the day. The #3 seeded Alberta team of Leona Grigg, Claire Fern and Anna Martin defeated the Quebec team of Louise Lefebvre, Anne-Christine Lajoie and Fabienne Beaujault, 2-1. Overall there was only a six point difference (90-84) between the teams, both favouring the Alberta team.

Manitoba and Nova Scotia played-off for fifth and sixth. This encounter was expected to be close, and indeed was decided in the third seed matches after the #1 and #2 seeds split their matches. Nicole Mailey (MB) mounted a tremendous comeback after dropping the first two games to Nova Scotia's Janet MacLeod (8/10,8/10,9/5,9/3,9/0) to claim victory for the Manitoba squad.

The 7/8 playoff was another close encounter between PEI and Newfoundland. PEI's third seed Ginette Plourde defeated Susan Quinton (NL), 4/9,9/3,9/3,9/6, to the excitement of the home crowd. With the victory, the PEI#1 team finished seventh, two places above its seeded position.

In the 9/10 playoff, the Saskatchewan team of Shafali Thakore, Jaycee Harding, and Jessica Marsh defeated the PEI#2 team of Mary Andrews, Chris MacWilliams and Carolyne Thorne 3-0.

Results from the Final, BC vs Ontario

2. Lauren Wagner (BC) bt Izumi Matsuda (ON) 9/2,9/6,2/9,9/5
1. Melanie Jans (BC) bt Ruchika Kumar (ON) 9/0,9/4,10/8
3. Emma Park (BC) bt Neha Kumar (ON) 9/0,9/5,4/9,9/3