Jon Kuiperij Sports Editor sports@oakvillebeaver.com Sports 23 | Thursday, August 28, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com "Connected to your Community" Oakville's Lindsay Agnew (left photo, camped in front of the Team USA net) and Kristin O'Neill (right photo, scoring on USA goalie Brittany Bugalski) combined to notch five of Canada's nine goals in last week's under-18 women's hockey exhibition series against the Americans. Canada won the series, 2-1. | photos by James Emery -- Hockey Canada Images Oakville players score five of Canada's nine goals in U18 series win er on the same team before, but she's a great girl. We've really bonded, I would say. It's Beaver Sports Editor crazy. We haven't talked much about (combining for five goals), but I think we were Even in her dreams, Lindsay Agnew hadn't just really happy to represent Canada and we were really happy for each other." imagined this. Though many of the U18 players were Donning the Canadian jersey in international competition for the first time, Agnew facing each other in international play for scored a goal in each of Canada's three the first time, Agnew said the rivalry between the two womgames in an under-18 en's hockey powers women's hockey exwas immediately nohibition series with ticeable. the United States last "It's probably more week in Calgary. intense for the older Loyola high school girls (senior team student Kristin players), who have O'Neill added tallies been playing against in the first two games, each other for five meaning a pair of or 10 years," Agnew Oakville 16-year-olds said. "But just lookwas responsible for ing over in warmup five of the nine goals and seeing those Canada scored in its Team USA jerseys, 2-1 series victory. that's when it really Agnew opened the Lindsay Agnew Canadian U18 women's hockey player hits you." scoring and O'Neill Agnew said the sepotted the third-periries win -- Canada od winner in Canada's 3-2 win last Thursday; O'Neill notched a had a chance at the sweep Sunday, but the short-handed goal and Agnew added a late U.S. scored twice in the final 3:09 of reguinsurance marker in a 5-2 victory Friday; lation to break open a 2-1 game -- gives and Agnew scored Canada's only goal in a Canada momentum going into the 2015 IIHF U18 women's worlds slated for Jan. 4-1 defeat Sunday. "Even hearing that I was on the team 5-12 in Buffalo, N.Y. She and O'Neill aren't guaranteed spots was an unbelievable thing. Scoring in each game... it was almost unreal, I guess," said on the Canadian team for that tournament, Agnew, a King's Christian Collegiate high Agnew said, but the three-game exhibition series has to help their chances. school student initially from Mississauga. "All that pressure and the experience "(Kristin and I had) never played togethby Jon Kuiperij pulling on that jersey for the first time," Agnew said, "and scoring those goals, now I have it under my belt. I'll have more confidence next time around." Agnew and O'Neill now turn their attention to the Provincial Women's Hockey League season. Agnew plays for the Mississauga Chiefs, and O'Neill is a member of the Stoney Creek Sabres. National development team struggles Canada's U22 (national development) women's team didn't enjoy the same success in their exhibition series with the U.S., played at the same time and venue as the U18 tournament. The Americans swept the set, winning 2-1 Thursday, 6-0 Friday and 3-2 Sunday. Oakville defenceman Mellissa Channell and forward Kristyn Capizzano were held scoreless in the competition, though King's graduate -- and former Oakville Hornet -- Victoria Bach drew two assists in Canada's overtime loss Sunday. "I heard the U.S. had an older team with more Olympic-level players," said Agnew. "Canada has always come back. I think that will just motivate them more, and they'll push more for gold at the (next tournament)." -- Jon Kuiperij can be followed on Twitter @Beaversports Even hearing that I was on the team was an unbelievable thing. Scoring in each game... it was almost unreal. Two OSC teams advance to Cup finals Two Oakville Soccer Club boys' teams won Ontario Cup semifinal games Sunday to advance to the championship game of their provincial playdowns. The OSC's under-14 A squad edged the North Mississauga Panthers 3-2 in penalty kicks after playing to a scoreless deadlock through regulation and overtime. The game was contested at Waterloo's RIM Park. Oakville's U16 B team hammered the Oak Ridges Knights 4-0 at the Terry Fox Complex in Ottawa. The U16s have outscored their opponents 8-1 in their last three Ontario Cup games. The U14 A team will face the North London Elite Saturday, Sept. 6 at 10 a.m., and the U16 B club will take on the Burlington Bayhawks Sunday, Sept. 14 at 12:30 p.m. Both games will be played at Oshawa's Civic Stadium. According to the Oakville Soccer Club, the last Oakville boys' teams to win Ontario Cup titles were the U21 A and U15 A squads in 2009. The OSC's other recent Ontario Cup wins were earned by girls' teams in 2009 (U12 A), 2011 (U21 A) and 2012 (U18 A).