Two Tri-Cities athletes each won the last game of their 2022-23 seasons at Canada's top level of collegiate sports.
As a result, Sophia Gaskell and Aidan Palanca both brought back a bronze medal from last weekend's respective U SPORTS championships in women's hockey and men's volleyball.
Gaskell, a Port Moody Secondary graduate, recorded two goals and five points in three games at nationals for UBC, including an assist in the Thunderbirds' 3-2 third-place game victory over host Montreal.
It's the first U SPORTS medal of any colour for the second-year kinesiology student, who made quite an impression in Canada West action, as well.
Gaskell tallied 18 points in 28 regular-season games, finishing with the most shots on goals by a defender in the conference with 75.
She also tied for the most goals scored by a Canada West blue-liner (seven).
The Greater Vancouver Comets alumna also helped UBC to a 25-4-3-2 record and back-to-back conference banners in a 2-1 finals' series win over eventual national-champion Mount Royal Cougars.
Meanwhile, Palanca will remember his first season on the floor with McMaster University.
As a rookie, the Coquitlam Ducks Volleyball Club product rooted his team to a bronze medal at the U SPORTS championships in a 3-0 set sweep of Alberta in the final match.
Palanca is a libero for the Marauders, also currently studying kinesiology.
He played 15 sets in eight games in regular-season play in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) conference, helping the maroon and white finish with a record of 18-2.
This included a perfect 10-0 run at home.
The Marauders claimed the 2023 OUA title to get to nationals, winning nine of the 10 sets en route to gold at the conference playoff tournament.
