EDMONTON - The University of Alberta Pandas field hockey team took another step towards qualifying for the CIS championship as they defeated the University of Calgary Dinos 2-1, Saturday afternoon at Foote Field in Edmonton.

The University of Victoria will act as host for the CIS field hockey championship, October 30 - November 2, which guarantees the Vikes an invitation and with UBC off to a 4-0 start, the final entrance will fall to one of the Alberta based teams.  With the win the Pandas are now 2-3, while the Dinos are 0-5.

Sixteen minutes into the contest Polly Duncan-Webb, who played goal for the Pandas last season, notched the U of A's first goal when she deflected a shot from Jackie Trautman on a short corner play.

Carla Duncan's Alberta side doubled their lead nine minutes later when freshman Kinsco Santha put a rebound behind Dinos 'keeper Megan Lee after a mixer in the Calgary zone.

Minutes after the goal, Lee made a tremendous toe save to keep the Dinos in the game and then breathed a sigh of relief when another Alberta chance hit the goal post and went out of bounds.

Calgary stepped up the play in the second half and held court in the Alberta zone for long stretches.  The Dinos were rewarded in the 50 minute when Courtney Campbell beat Lili Zhang in the Panda net on a short corner.

The two teams will meet again tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 pm MST on Foote Field turf.

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