Varsity Athletics | 1/29/2025 2:00:00 PM
With the end of January quickly approaching, regular seasons are reaching their climax for the York University Lions hockey, basketball and volleyball teams.
The Lions men’s hockey team was perfect in a pair of games last weekend, and are now 4-2 since the don of the new year. The women’s volleyball team also took both its matches up in Thunder Bay, both 3-0 sweeps of the Lakehead Thunderwolves. Meanwhile, the the women’s basketball team split its two games at home to Lakehead and men’s volleyball went 1-1 down in Hamilton against the McMaster Marauders.
Here’s what going on in the den this week:
MEN’S HOCKEY
The Lions men’s hockey team will kick off the week – as it has the last four weeks – with a Thursday night tilt, this time in Oshawa against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks. York will look for its fourth win in a row, and, if they get it, will split the season series 2-2 with the Ridgebacks. The Lions have discovered their offence over the last two games, potting nine goals – the most in any two-game stretch for the team since they also scored nine in a two-game span from Nov. 19-25, 2022, wins over Windsor and Western. The Lions will then head to TMU on a back-to-back to battle the Bold on Friday night. TMU sits second in the OUA West at 13-8-1, a record that would place them fifth in the loaded East Division. The Bold come in winners of five straight, so – as they say – something’s gotta give. Puck drop Thursday is at 7:00 pm, while Friday’s game begins an hour earlier at 6:00 pm. You can stream both games here.
WOMEN’S HOCKEY
This weekend for the women’s hockey team will, in all likelihood, determine York’s playoff fate. They head to Waterloo for a pair of games against the Warriors and, most importantly, a pivotal matchup with the Laurier Golden Hawks. Though the Lions are, as of now, directly chasing Windsor for fourth place in the West, the Hawks can fall back down to fourth with a loss Friday at Brock and a Lancers win over the Western Mustangs. York currently sits seven points back of a playoff berth with just six games to go. Any less than one win this weekend for all intents and purposes eliminates the Lions from a realistic chance at making the postseason. The one thing York has on its side: momentum, as they’ve won five of six games so far in 2025. Will it carry over? Tune into OUA TV Friday and Saturday night to find out.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
The Lions women’s volleyball team welcomes the RMC Paladins to Tait McKenzie Centre Friday and Saturday for their final home games of the regular season. York is in a Lion fight for one of the final playoff berths in the OUA, currently tied with Toronto for the final spot. Given Toronto’s weak strength of schedule – Guelph, Trent and RMC – it’s probable they will finish 13-7. This means it will likely come down to York and Nipissing for the final playoff spot. The Lions own the tiebreaker over Nipissing due to sets won in head-to-head competition. York, playing RMC, Brock and TMU have a solid chance to win at least four of their final six matches, putting them 11-9. If they can get there, that would force the Lakers to win four of their final six against the same competition. Friday’s Lions-Paladins game begins at 6:00 pm with Saturday’s seniors’ day match beginning at 12:00 pm. You can get your tickets here or stream both games here.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
The men’s team is on the other side of the playoff picture, in a battle for home-court advantage in the playoffs. The Lions are currently third, a game behind Queen’s – over whom they hold the tiebreaker – for second in the OUA. Should they finish second, they will host at least two playoff games, plus the potential of an OUA championship or bronze medal match. Should they finish third, they will host the opening round and, should they qualify, the bronze medal game. The Lions finish with RMC, Brock and TMU, while Queen’s faces Western, McMaster and Trent. One would think both teams will sweep RMC and Trent, respectively, meaning the final standings will come down to York’s games against TMU (6-8) and Brock (5-9) and Queen’s’ matches against Western (9-5) and McMaster (7-9). If the Lions take care of business the rest of the way, they’re set up well to finish second, as going 6-0 forces Queen’s to also run the table. However, Western and Toronto are nipping on the Lions’ heals trying to prevent them from hosting a playoff game, sitting a game below them at 9-5. Friday’s penultimate regular season home game begins at 8:00 pm, while the seniors’ day game begins at 2:00 pm. You can get your tickets here or stream both games here.
TRACK & FIELD
The Lions track and field team hosts its second non-intrasquad event of the season this weekend at the Toronto Track & Field Centre. The Lions men’s program has spent some time this season in the U SPORTS Top 10, slotting in at No. 9 for the week of Jan. 14. The Open serves as the penultimate meet of the season prior to last chance qualification events for the OUA championships in late February. Events on Friday run from 1:00-8:00 pm, while Saturday’s competitions begin at 9:00 am. The Lions will also honour their graduating athletes following Saturday’s events. You can find the full York Open schedule of competitions here.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Like women’s volleyball, women’s basketball is in a fight for its playoff lives as the season winds to a close. Looking to make a return to the postseason for the second time in three years, the Lions play on the road at McMaster on Friday before returning home Saturday night to host the Toronto Varsity Blues. York is currently sitting in the 12th and final playoff spot in the OUA, and would currently travel to Guelph in Round 1 for a rematch of the 2023 opening round matchup that York led early as a No. 11 seed before eventually falling 83-74. The Lions are currently battling Nipissing and Laurentian for the final berth, but each of those teams play the three worst teams in the OUA over their final five games, while York plays McMaster twice, TMU twice and Brock once the rest of the way, accounting for five of their final six games. Both this weekend’s contests begin at 6:00 pm. You can purchase tickets for Saturday’s Black History Month games here or stream both games here.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
The Lions men’s basketball team showed some real battle in a pair of tight losses the Lakehead Thunderwolves last weekend. They led late in of Friday’s game before falling 81-75 and cut what was a 34-point Lakehead lead down to 10 in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game before coming up short, 104-89. They too will take on McMaster and Toronto this weekend, looking to sweep the Varsity Blues after beating them 82-77 back on Jan. 11 at Goldring Centre. This begins a stretch of three winnable games in a row for a young Lions team trying to learn how to win. They play the Marauders and Varsity Blues, who boast a combined 9-23 record, in each of the next three games, including two against 3-13 McMaster. Both this weekend’s games tip off at 8:00 pm. You can purchase tickets for Saturday’s Black History Month games here or stream both games here.
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