PCI Saints season ends following loss to CSLR

The Portage Collegiate Institute (PCI) Saints have been eliminated from the Division 2 qualifying round, marking the end of their campaign.

The Saints fell 2-0 on February 21st to the CLSR Renards, losing the series 2-0. The teams were deadlocked until 8:58 in the third period when Anna Fischer scored her first two goals in the contest.

Despite the tough end of the season, Head Coach Joanne Clark-Gillespie says the progression from September to now has been unbelievable.

"A lot of people only see the product on the ice," explains Clarke-Gillespie. "They just see the end result and say, 'Oh my goodness, you only had four wins; that's not a successful season.' We doubled our win total from last year, and we're in a higher division. As a coach, that's a successful season."

She adds that this team had zero quit in them, regardless of the situation. Clark-Gillespie wants to ensure her players know how much she appreciates their heart, work ethic, and coachability, which she calls second-to-none.

"We try to build the connection as a family," notes Clark-Gillespie. "We always hashtag our Instagram with #SaintsFamily. We have each other's backs, and we hold each other accountable. We like to push each other to improve, and when people struggle, we back them up."

Team Captain Marley Taylor says it's a bittersweet moment to say goodbye to this team, but she's happy she got to spend her final year with this group.

"I probably spend more time with them than my actual family," notes Taylor. "It's friendships for a lifetime."

Going forward, she says she'll look into playing rec league hockey wherever she ends up.