CIS TOP TEN TUESDAY (#5)
Reigning champ Alberta opens at No. 1 in men’s hockey

The CIS men’s hockey regular schedule got underway last weekend in the Canada West conference, with Alberta splitting its two-game series against UBC in Vancouver (3-2, 2-5), while Calgary and Saskatchewan were sweeping doubleheaders against Manitoba and Regina, respectively.

In other CIS sports, Guelph (women’s & men’s cross country), UBC (men’s soccer) and Alberta (women’s rugby) hold on to their No. 1 status this week.

In women’s soccer, there is a fifth change at the top in as many coaches’ polls this season as the reigning two-time Trinity Western Spartans move up two positions to take the lead.

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

(points) / (previous ranking)

MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY

(points) / (previous ranking)

MEN’S HOCKEY

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)

1. Alberta (1-1) / 132 points (5) / (-)
2. Calgary (2-0) / 125 (6) / (-)
3. UNB (0-0) / 114 (3) / (-)
4. Saskatchewan (2-0) / 86 (1) / (-) *
5. Acadia (0-0) / 86 / (-)
6. UQTR (0-0) / 66 / (-)
7. Carleton (0-0) / 57 / (-)
8. McGill (0-0) / 44 / (-)
9. Saint Mary’s (0-0) / 35 / (-)
10. Western (0-0) / 28 / (-) 

* Saskatchewan (over Acadia) was awarded the higher ranking based on number of higher place votes.

Other teams receiving votes: Windsor (27), UBC (21), StFX (20), Mount Royal (14 / 1 first-place vote), Brock (6), Moncton (6), Concordia (4), York (3), Lakehead (2), Queen’s (2), Guelph (1), Manitoba (1).

WOMEN’S SOCCER

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

* Trinity Western (over Ottawa) was awarded the higher ranking based on its higher ranking a week ago.

Other teams receiving votes: Fraser Valley (4), Calgary (2).

MEN’S SOCCER

(regular season record) / votes / (previous ranking)

WOMEN’S RUGBY

(regular season record) / votes (first-place votes) / (previous ranking)

Other teams receiving votes: UBC (20), Waterloo (15), Western (7), York (3).

FRC – CIS Football Top 10 (#5)
No. 1 Laval sets CIS record with 22^nd straight win

For the fifth consecutive week, the reigning two-time Vanier Cup champions received all 30 first-place votes and a perfect 300 points from the Football Reporters of Canada panel.

The entire Top 10 remains unchanged this week as Laval is once again followed in order by the No. 2 Calgary Dinos (3-1 / 267 points), No. 3 Western Mustangs (4-0 / 241), No. 4 McMaster Marauders (5-0 / 206), No. 5 Montreal Carabins (3-1 / 175), No. 6 Guelph Gryphons (3-1 / 147), No. 7 Saskatchewan Huskies (3-1 / 105), No. 8 Mount Allison Mounties (4-0 / 89), No. 9 Concordia Stingers (4-0 / 64) and No. 10 Manitoba Bisons (2-2 / 47).

The top-ranked Rouge et Or (4-0) dominated visiting McGill 70-3 last Saturday in Quebec City to register their 22^nd victory in a row since a 23-20 road loss to Montreal on Oct. 13, 2012, and their 67^th straight win overall on home turf dating back to 2004, also a CIS record. They shared the previous national mark of 21 consecutive successes with McMaster, whose streak came to an end against Laval in the 2012 Vanier Cup final.

Both record streaks will be on the line on Sunday (1 p.m., live on ici.radio-canada.ca Quebec) when Laval hosts the Cinderella team of the first half of the season, undefeated Concordia, which currently shares first place in the RSEQ standings with the Vanier Cup champs, a year after going 0-8 in conference play. The Stingers will be looking to put an end to a 21-game losing streak against the league’s powerhouse, dating back to a 38-30 home win on Oct. 4, 2003.

For its part, No. 2 Calgary won on the field last Friday night, edging visiting Manitoba 42-41 in a thrilling Top-10 battle at McMahon Stadium, but saw its official record fall to 3-1 after announcing Monday it was forfeiting its September 5^th victory over Alberta due to the use of two ineligible players.

Other results from Top-10 teams this past weekend included No. 3 Western 69, Waterloo 3 (at Waterloo); No. 4 McMaster 28, Queen’s 19 (at McMaster); No. 5 Montreal 47, StFX 0 (at StFX); No. 7 Saskatchewan 21, Regina 16 (at Regina); No. 8 Mount Allison 26, Bishop’s 3 (at Bishop’s) and No. 9 Concordia 63, Saint Mary’s 7 (at Saint Mary’s).

Sixth-ranked Guelph enjoyed a break in its OUA schedule.

In addition to Laval-Concordia on Sunday, another exciting Top-10 confrontation between undefeated teams is set for Saturday in London where No. 3 Western hosts No. 4 McMaster. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m., live on Rogers TV in London, Cable 14 in Hamilton, Rogers Sports + throughout Ontario, and OUA.TV.

NOTES: The 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup Tour makes its sixth stop of the campaign on Saturday at Griffiths Stadium at PotashCorp Park in Saskatoon, where No. 7 Saskatchewan hosts UBC, live on Shaw TV and CanadaWest.TV at 7 p.m. CT... For all the information on the 50^th TELUS Vanier Cup (including ticket info) visit vaniercup.com.

FRC – CIS FOOTBALL TOP 10 (#5)

                                                Pts (1^st place)  Last week

1. Laval (4-0)               300 (30)           1
2. Calgary (3-1)           267                  2
3. Western (4-0)           241                  3
4. McMaster (5-0)        206                  4
5. Montreal (3-1)         175                  5
6. Guelph (3-1)                        147                  6
7. Saskatchewan (3-1) 105                  7
8. Mt. Allison (4-0)      89                    8
9. Concordia (4-0)       64                    9
10. Manitoba (2-2)       47                    10

September 27
Montreal 47, StFX 0 (at StFX)
Concordia 63, Saint Mary’s 7 (at Saint Mary’s)
Laval 70, McGill 3 (at Laval)
Laurier 53, Carleton 3 (at Laurier)
Ottawa 41, Toronto 25 (at Toronto)
McMaster 28, Queen’s 19 (at McMaster)
Western 69, Waterloo 3 (at Waterloo)
Saskatchewan 21, Regina 16 (at Regina)
Sherbrooke 48, Acadia 10 (at Sherbrooke)
UBC 49, Alberta 13 (at UBC)
Mount Allison 26, Bishop’s 3 (at Bishop’s)

October 5
13:00   No. 9 Concordia (4-0) at No. 1 Laval (1-0) (ici.radio-canada.ca Quebec)