ST. ALBERT, Alta. – Award winners for the 2011 Esso Cup, Canada’s National Female Midget Championship, were announced Thursday night at a banquet for the six participating teams.

The tournament’s awards committee named six recipients, with the awards based on the preliminary round games played from Sunday, April 17 through Thursday, April 21.

The 2011 Esso Cup award winners are as follows:

Top Goaltender – Morgan Glover, Edmonton Thunder (Pacific)

Top Defenceman – Emma Korbs, Toronto Aeros (Ontario)

Top Forward – Olivia Howe, Notre Dame Hounds (West)

Most Valuable Player – Morgan Glover, Edmonton Thunder (Pacific)

Most Sportsmanlike Player – Matana Skoye, St. Albert Slash (Host)

Top Scorer – Olivia Howe, Notre Dame Hounds (West)

The Isobel Gathorne-Hardy Award, which recognizes an active female player who demonstrates dedication and leadership in the game and whose characteristics reflect those of the award’s namesake, was also presented Thursday evening to Nancy MacMillan of West Prince, P.E.I.

Following five days of preliminary round action in the Performance Arena at Servus Place, the semifinal matchups are set for Friday, April 22.

The third place Toronto Aeros (Ontario), who finished the preliminary round with two wins, two losses and one shootout loss, will take on the second place Notre Dame Hounds (West), who completed preliminary games with three regulation-time wins, one shootout win and one shootout loss, at 12 p.m. MT.

The fourth place Kodiaks du Lac St-Louis (Quebec), who capped of the preliminary round with two wins and three losses, are up against the first place Edmonton Thunder (Pacific), who finished with four regulation-time wins and one shootout win, at 4 p.m. MT.

The St. Albert Slash (Host) and Kings County Kings (Atlantic) finished in fifth and six place, respectively, and have been eliminated from medal contention.

The semifinal games, along with the bronze medal game at 2 p.m. MT on Saturday, April 23, will be available online through FASTHockey at hockeycanada.fasthockey.com.

The winners of both semifinals will move on to the gold medal game, which will air live on Hockey Canada’s official broadcaster TSN2 at 6 p.m. MT on Saturday, April 23.

Day passes during the playoffs are $15 each, while single game tickets for semifinals and medal games are $11 each, and can be purchased online by visiting the official 2011 Esso Cup website at www.hockeycanada.ca/essocup or at the Servus Place box office in St. Albert.

The third annual Esso Cup, Canada’s National Female Midget Championship, is helping the City of St. Albert celebrate its 150th anniversary by bringing together the best female Midget hockey teams from across the country.