The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Zips Women's Basketball Foreign Tour Blog: Montreal Trip 2016 Day Three
August 23 | Women's Basketball
Follow Akron Women's Basketball on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram | Follow Coach Kest on Twitter
2016 Foreign Tour: Montreal Photo Gallery: Day One | Day Two | Day Three
Akron Zips Basketball Foreign Tour Blog: Montreal Trip 2016: Day One | Day Two | Day Three
August 22 – Olympic Stadium & Game Day  – Fredniqua Walker and Alyssa Clay
MONTREAL, Canada – The Montreal experience started early Monday morning with breakfast at Muffins Plus. Here they served the team a buffet style breakfast that included eggs, bacon, sausage, english muffins, toast, pancakes, hashbrowns and a variety of fruit!
After everyone was stuffed, they departed for a tour of the Olympic Stadium with George. Olympic Stadium was built in the mid-1970's as the main venue for the 1976 Summer Olympics. The stadium has the largest seating capacity in Canada. Once the '76 Olympics ended, artificial turf was installed and it became the home of Montreal's professional baseball and football teams. However, the Expos relocated to Washington, D.C. to become the Washington Nationals following the 2004 baseball season.
The stadium currently serves as a multipurpose facility for special events and the Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer (MLS) uses the venue on occasion.
Next, the squad went back to the hotel to relax before they walked to Deli Planet for pregame meal. After lunch the team prepared for their game at Champlain Saint-Lambert Gymnasium where George coaches.
The Zips hung tough in the second exhibition game of their 2016 foreign tour against the University of Laval, ultimately falling, 79-73. Sophomore Megan Sefcik led the Zips for the second consecutive game with 21 points while senior guard Hannah Plybon followed with 16 points of her own. Afterwards, the team had subway and settled back into their hotel rooms.
Today (Aug. 23) is a travel day for the Zips. The staff and team are scheduled to leave the Marriott Hotel around 12:30 p.m. for Ottawa, ON, Canada. Akron is set to play against Carleton University at 7 p.m
Thoughts from Sophomore Fredniqua Walker
Yesterday (Aug. 22) we got to visit the Olympic Stadium where the 1976 athlete's competed. My favorite part was listening to our tour guide George describe specific events that happened during these Olympic games. I learned that Bruce Jenner was the top athlete during that time.
My experience has been very interesting especially because this is my first time out of the country. The biggest difference I have noticed compared to being back in the United States is the food because they don't use any seasoning. They also speak a lot of French, which I like, but I do not know how to speak it. Basketball in Canada is a little different as well. The Canadians play at a quick pace but they are also very aggressive and the referees' let you play more.
Thoughts from Freshman Alyssa Clay
I have been out of the country one other time to Cozumel, Mexico but my experience in Montreal has been really cool so far. We have toured many different attractions such as historic churches and the Olympic Stadium. At the stadium, we got to see some of the pools and fields where the athletes performed so that was probably my favorite part.
My first collegiate game experience was a lot faster paced compared to high school so you have to be able to pick stuff up quickly. The upperclassmen are very supporting and they're always giving us advice and helping us with new material.
