SHERBOOKE – Annual homecoming festivities are set to take on the campus of Bishop's University starting on Thursday night. Gaiters lacrosse, women's soccer, women's rugby, men's rugby and football are all set to compete in front of the purple faithful.
 
On the links the Bishop's golf team wrapped their season up at the start of the week, while the men's and women's basketball teams get their exhibition schedules underway this weekend in North Bay, Ont.
 
Lacrosse
Homecoming is always a special time to don purple, 2015 will be no different.  The undefeated Bishop's Gaiters lacrosse team steps onto Coulter Field for their traditional tilt with the McGill Redmen on Thursday night at 8:30 p.m.   The Redmen are also perfect this campaign meaning the contest will give one school the upper hand on first place. First place in the CUFLA East results in a first round bye at the 2015 Baggataway Cup that will be hosted by the Gaiters at the start of November.
 
McGill and Bishop's have distanced themselves from the rest of the division; the two teams have finished in the top two spots each year since 2011.  McGill has had the better record between the two teams recently winning the last five contests dating back to 2012.  The Gaiters will look to change that trend in front of what promises to be a boisterous crowd.
 
Women's Soccer
Three of the five homecoming match-ups will come against arguably one of the Gaiters biggest rivals, McGill.  The Bishop's women's soccer team (0-4-2) steps onto the pitch on Friday at 4 p.m. to face the Martlets (3-2-1) in Lennoxville.  Bishop's will be looking for points in two consecutive games after a 1-1 draw with UQTR (0-5-1) on Sunday.  
 
The Gaiters conclude their weekend of action with a re-match against No. 8 Sherbrooke (5-0-1).  Bishop's fell 5-0 to the Vert et Or two weeks ago.  This time the game is set for Coulter Field on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
 
Women's Rugby
After earning a much deserved weekend off the Bishop's Gaiters women's rugby team (0-4) will step onto the pitch against No.9 Laval (3-1) on Friday at 6 p.m.  It will be the last time this season the Gaiters will play on Coulter Field as their remaining two regular season games are on the road.
 
Bishop's has showed continual improvement this season.  They have scored 55 points to date, more than the three previous years combined.  Although still yet to register a victory, the young Gaiters are starting to compete in arguably the nation's toughest conference.
 
Men's Rugby
The Gaiters men's rugby squad (2-1, 10 pts.) will cap off the annual homecoming Friday triple-header with a contest against the Montreal Carabins (3-0, 12 pts.).  In the new make-up of the RSEQ Men's Rugby League, this will be the lone meeting between the two schools as they are in different divisions.  Montreal is currently in the driver's seat of their division while Bishop's sits in second place on their side.
 
Bishop's is coming off a victory over ETS (0-3, 0 pts.) last Sunday in Montreal. The Gaiters and Cabins game is set for 8 p.m. on Friday night, under the lights on Coulter Field.
 
Football
Saturday's annual homecoming football game pits the McGill Redmen (2-2) against the Gaiters (1-3) at 3 p.m. on Coulter Field. Both teams are coming off victories against teams from the AUS.  Bishop's topped St. Mary's in Halifax while McGill rolled over Acadia in Montreal.
 
Earlier this season McGill beat Bishop's 10-3 to open the RSEQ University Football Season in Montreal. A complete football preview will be available on www.gaiters.ca at the end of the week.
 
Golf
The Bishop's Gaiters Golf teams finished off their official calendar year at the RSEQ Championships at the Club de Golf Ile de Montreal.  The three day event took place from Sunday to Tuesday.  The Gaiters men's team struggled at the tough links-style track, as did most of the field.  Higher scores were the result.  Bishop's ended the tournament in ninth place out of 11 teams on the men's side and in fifth place out of five teams on the women's side.
 
Basketball
The men's and women's basketball teams will travel together to northern Ontario this this weekend and each will play a trio of games.  Nipissing University in North Bay, Ont. is the host of the preseason action.  On Friday Bishop's takes on the Nipissing Lakers at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., on Saturday they face Huber College of the OCAA at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively and Sunday they are back to CIS competition against the Algoma Thunderbirds at 10 a.m. and noon.
 
All the action from Coulter Field this weekend will be streamed live online at www.gaiters.ca/webcast.
 
Thursday, Oct. 1 – Lacrosse vs. McGill at 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2 – Women's Soccer vs. McGill at 4 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2 – Women's Rugby vs. Laval at 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2 – Men's Rugby vs. Montreal at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 3 – Football vs. McGill at 3 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 5 – Women's Soccer vs. Sherbrooke at 7:30 p.m.
 
Stay up-to-date with all the Gaiters sports teams at www.gaiters.ca or on social media using @BishopsGaiters.
 
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