MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – Women's hockey student-athlete Brianna Sank is the MacEwan Athletics first star of the week after posting a shutout and helping the Griffins earn a split with Calgary on the opening weekend of the season.
Sank made 39 saves on Friday in Calgary as the Griffins skated away with a 3-0 victory.
Men's hockey goaltender Thomas Davis and women's soccer midfielder Grace Schimpf are the second and third stars of the week, respectively.
It's the first appearance on the Three Stars list this season for all three student-athletes.
1st STAR: Brianna Sank, G, women's hockey
Ardrossan, AB, fourth-year, Commerce
Brianna Sank peers through a screen in Calgary last Friday. She made 39 saves to lead the Griffins to a 3-0 win (Jim Corry photo).
Stopping all 39 pucks thrown at her on the opening night of the season last Friday in Calgary, Sank led the Griffins to a 3-0 shutout of the Dinos.
It's the fourth goose-egg of her career at MacEwan and gave the Griffins a victory in a game they were outshot 39-17 in.
Sank also played in MacEwan's home opener on Saturday in Edmonton, stopping 27 of 31 in a 4-0 loss, but three of those were point-blank one-timer goals on passes from behind the net.
For the season, Sank is up to 66 saves on 70 shots for a .943 save percentage with a 2.00 goals against average.
The Griffins (1-1-0) will host Saskatchewan (2-0-0) on Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (3 p.m., both Downtown Community Arena, Canada West TV).
2nd STAR: Thomas Davis, G, men's hockey
St. Albert, AB, fourth-year, Arts
Thomas Davis makes one of his 50 saves against Calgary last Friday night (Chris Lindsey photo).
To say the veteran goaltender's 2023-24 season debut was fantastic would be an understatement.
Davis stole the show with 50 saves last Thursday night in Calgary, keeping the Griffins in the contest until the final minutes of the third period.
It's the third-most saves in a game since MacEwan joined Canada West. Davis also has the top two – 58 saves against Saskatchewan in 2022-23 and 52 against Mount Royal in 2021-22.
MacEwan was outshot 54-17 on Thursday, but thanks to Davis they were tied 3-3 with the defending Canada West champions until allowing a powerplay goal against with 6:01 left.
Davis is currently rocking a .926 save percentage and 4.03 goals against average.
The Griffins (0-2-0) will visit Saskatchewan (2-0-0) on Friday (7 p.m. MT) and Saturday (5 p.m. MT, both Canada West TV).
3rd STAR: Grace Schimpf, M, women's soccer
Edmonton, AB, third-year, Design Studies
Grace Schimpf prepares to shoot the winning goal in the 38th minute on Sunday against Alberta (Robert Antoniuk photo).
The veteran midfielder stepped up big for the Griffins in a 2-1 win over cross-town rival Alberta on Sunday night under the lights at Clarke Stadium.
Just 4:36 into the game, Schimpf won a ball on the sideline and crossed it in to Alyx Henderson for the opening goal.
Then, after some yeoman's work holding possession by teammate Maya Morrell, Schimpf launched a 25-yard blast in the 38th minute for the game winner.
The midfielder finished off a sterling 90-minute performance with two shots on goal and Game MVP honours.
Schimpf played 81 minutes in Saturday's 2-0 loss at Alberta, recording two shots (one on goal).
For the season, she has two goals and four points in 11 games, tied for second in scoring on the team.
The Griffins will host Mount Royal on Sunday (1 p.m., Clarke Stadium, Canada West TV), resuming Sept. 16's postponed game in the 35th minute with MacEwan leading 2-0.
