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Field set for national tourney
Sunday, October 15, 2006
by BillMartin
The field is set for the 2006 National Championship. The Wildcard Committee today announced that Dalhousie Tigers and ABU Mets will join the fray in Ottawa.

Dal and ABU, both from the Atlantic Conference, had identical records of 12 and 6 on the season and both were upset in their respective conference semi finals.

The committee, composed of members from each conference, reviews the season record of all teams. They try to weigh the performance, not just the record, relative to the competitiveness of each conference. It is a tough job and clearly the most maligned, no matter who they choose.

The UNB Cougars (Atlantic), McGill Redbirds (Northern) and Durham Lords (Ontario) all earned their way to the dance by winning their conference championships. University of Ottawa, ranked number one for much of the season, will participate as host of the tournament, as they were upset by the Redbirds in their best of three.

Winning a conference title is no guarantee of an easy road at the national. Last year, the two finalists included the host Cape Breton and the second wildcard, York Lions. In fact, the wildcard Lions acquitted the selection committee quite well as they were edged 1-0 in the final by the Capers.

Cape Breton is not the first host to use its free ticket to advantage. Two years ago, Queen's won while playing the host role, a feat performed years earlier by Brock. In 2000, Guelph attempted the same but were edged 4-3 in the final by the powerful Laval Rouge et Or in the first year of their three-peat run.

Play starts Friday, October 20 and continues to the final at 2:00 on Sunday afternoon at Hamilton Yards, part of the Nepean Sportsplex.

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