November 2, 2008

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2008 CIS championship: First round match-ups announced for Nationals

OTTAWA (CIS) - The tournament host Carleton University Ravens will face last year's national silver medalists in the first round of the 2008 CIS men's soccer championship, Thursday.

Championship web site: www.universitysport.ca/e/championships/m_soccer/2008

The Ravens, hosting the CIS tourney for the first time since 2002 when they suffered a heartbreaking, 1-0 overtime loss to Brock in the gold-medal final, will battle the Laval Rouge et Or in the last quarter-final at 4:30 p.m.

Carleton was ranked No. 1 in the last three national coaches polls of the season thanks to a stellar 12-1-1 regular schedule but settled for bronze at the OUA championship this weekend. Laval dropped a 1-0 decision to the Montreal Carabins in the Quebec final on Sunday.

Joining Carleton and Laval in Ottawa this week will be QSSF champion Montreal, the AUS champion Dalhousie Tigers, OUA champion Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks, Canada West champion Victoria Vikes, OUA finalist York Lions, and Canada West finalist Trinity Western Spartans.

Victoria and York will face off in the first quarter-final at 9 a.m., Montreal will battle Dalhousie at 11:30 a.m., and Laurier and Trinity Western will square off at 2 p.m.

The tournament will resume Friday with the consolation semi-finals, followed by the fifth-place game and the championship semi-finals Saturday, and the bronze medal match and gold-medal final Sunday at 12 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.

New CIS champions will be crowned next Sunday as the UBC Thunderbirds, who beat Laval 2-1 in the 2007 title game, were stopped by Trinity Western in this year's Canada West semi-finals.

Victoria (4), Laurier (2), York and Dalhousie (1) have all captured the Sam Davidson Memorial Trophy in the past, while Carleton, Laval, Montreal and Trinity Western are looking for their first taste of CIS gold.

Note: a complete championship preview will follow Tuesday.


PARTICIPATING TEAMS

AUS champions: Dalhousie Tigers (7-4-2 regular season, 3-0 playoffs)

QSSF champions: Montreal Carabins (9-0-3 regular season, 2-0 playoffs)

OUA champions: Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (7-3-4 regular season, 3-0 playoffs)

Canada West champions: Victoria Vikes (9-3-2 regular season, 2-0 playoffs)

QSSF finalists: Laval Rouge et Or (6-3-3 regular season, 1-1 playoffs)

OUA finalists: York Lions (9-4-1 regular season, 2-1 playoffs)

Canada West finalists: Trinity Western Spartans (6-4-4 regular season, 1-1 playoffs)

OUA bronze medalists: Carleton Ravens (12-1-1 regular season, 2-1 playoffs)


CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)

Thursday, Nov. 6
09:00 Quarter-final #1: Victoria vs. York
11:30 Quarter-final #2: Dalhousie vs. Montreal
14:00 Quarter-final #3: Laurier vs. Trinity Western
16:30 Quarter-final #4: Laval vs. Carleton
20:00 All-Canadian Banquet

Friday, Nov. 7
11:00 Consolation #1: Loser QF #1 vs. Loser QF #2
13:30 Consolation #2: Loser QF #3 vs. Loser QF #4

Saturday, Nov. 8
11:30 5th place game
14:00 Semi-final #1: Winner QF #1 vs. Winner QF #2
16:30 Semi-final #2: Winner QF #3 vs. Winner QF #4

Sunday, Nov. 9
12:00 Bronze medal
15:00 Championship final

- CI