Despite losing two to the University of Victoria Vikes last weekend, the Dinos field hockey team head to Edmonton one point back of the University of Alberta Pandas for the final spot in the CIS championships.

The economy has affected almost all of us, and while for most that means a few less dollars to spend, for Dinos Athletics it meant cutting the field hockey program.

Last spring the Dinos announced they would be terminating funding to the field hockey team, effectively ending the program. Thanks to some hard work fundraising this summer the team is not only still around, they've set their eyes on being better than ever.

Like the ancient Vikings of the past, the University of Victoria Vikes have a certain reputation for being a tough team that raids the opponent's nets. The University of Calgary Dinos field hokcey teamchanged all of that with a 2-1 victory over them on Saturday.

"We really played well and took it to them," said Dinos head coach Jenn Swagar.

The Dinos attacked early in the game, with a goal by Kaitlyn Longworth in the 19th minute.

Just like the ancient 300 Spartans versus Persia in the Battle of Thermopylae, the University of Calgary Dinos field hockey team constantly forced the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds into defensive mode and made its offence fight for each inch of the field.

It ended in a close defeat, however, as the Thunderbirds held off to win 3-2 Sunday after winning 3-0 Saturday.

Coach Jenn Swagar still held her head up with a smile, noting the Thunderbirds had to fight hard for their victory.

What happens when a Dino is matched up against a Panda? The Panda gets mauled as evidenced by the University of Calgary Dinos 3-1 win over the University of Alberta Pandas at Foote Field on Sunday.

It was their first victory over the Pandas since the 2003-04 season, giving the Dinos a 1-5 record.

The win comes off the heels of a 2-1 loss against the Pandas a day ealier.

Head coach Jenn Swagar was excited about the Dinos first victory this season, pinning it on a new team chemistry.

In native mythology, thunderbirds are considered supernatural animals of power and strength.

Unfortunately, the University of Calgary Dinos field hockey team have 10 reasons to believe that to be true, after the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds outscored the Dinos 10-0 in two games in stormy weather in B.C. Despite the disappointment, Dinos coach Jenn Swagar remains positive about the team's potential, pointing out how they are learning from their mistakes.

Despite dropping their first two games to the University of Victoria Vikes this past weekend at Hawkings Field, the University of Calgary Dinos field hockey team is optimistic about the direction their squad is taking this season.

The youthful Dinos held the strong Vikes team to just one goal in the first half of the second game in the weekend doubleheader.

"It was a good outcome for us," said Dinos head coach Jenn Swagar. "It was unexpected. Their stats are way better than ours and their defence played solid."

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

She's here, at the University of Calgary, and there's nothing tragic about her as she makes unprecedented waves across campus this fall.

The list of accomplishments for 15-year-old Carolina Romeo is long, but you can bet being the youngest athlete to don a Dinos uniform is at the top-- that and receiving the highest paid scholarship (Chancellor's Club) to pursue studies in the Schulich School of Engineering.

"It's deja vu all over again," Yogi Bear used to tell his little compatriot Boo-Boo. The field hockey Dinos went winless and scored just one goal for the second disappointing season in a row. First-year Dinos forward Nicole Gains had the honour of scoring the team's solitary goal in a 6-1 loss to the University of Alberta Pandas in Vancouver during the Western Division's last tournament of the regular season Oct. 13-15.

The Dinos field hockey season got off to a disappointing, but not wholly unexpected, start Sept. 22-24 as they were defeated in their first three games against Canada West opposition.

Playing at the University of Calgary's Hawking Field, the Dinos lost 6-0 to the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, 4-0 to the University of Alberta Pandas and 6-0 to the University of Victoria Vikes.

Overall UBC collected the most points with a 3-1 win over the U of A and a 1-1 tie with UVIC.