The Varsity Blues women’s hockey team defeated the 2013-2014 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) regular season champion the University of Guelph Gryphons 3-2 in a shootout Saturday afternoon at Varsity Arena.

The Blues played an excellent first period, with Guelph rookie goaltender Valerie Lamenta making some huge saves to keep her team in the game. Shortly after Lamenta robbed the University of Toronto veteran Amanda Ricker on a rare penalty shot six minutes into the frame, the Blues got on the board. Blues rookie forward Lauren Straatman won a battle on the boards and set up fellow rookie Julia Szulewska in the slot. Szulewska fanned on her shot attempt, but the puck went right to sophomore Katherine Gale, who put the puck past a sprawling Lamenta.

The second period saw momentum shift to Guelph, with the Gryphons’ relentless fore-checking causing problems for Toronto’s defense and forcing star U of T goaltender Nicole Kesteris to make several highlight-reel saves. The Gryphons ultimately managed to tie the game with four minutes remaining in the frame.

Guelph right wing Averi Nooren, who was sensational and could easily have scored a hat trick had it not been for Kesteris’ heroics, blasted a shot over the U of T net minder’s glove on a breakaway to level the score heading into the third period.

The third frame was very even with both teams trading chances and both keepers standing tall. With five minutes to play, Blues forward Kristi Riseley drew an interference penalty driving hard to the goal. On the ensuing power play, U of T sniper Taylor Day put home a rebound to give the Blues the lead with four minutes remaining.

The Gryphons pulled their goaltender for an extra attacker in the closing stages of the game and capitalized on the Blues’ inability to clear the puck out their zone in the last 45 seconds of play. Nooren got the puck to Guelph defender Gina Murray who put a shot on goal. Kesteris stopped the Murray drive through traffic, but veteran forward Kaitlyn Mora corralled the rebound and put the puck past Kesteris’ outstretched pad.

The Blues proved resilient following the late tying goal, and were excellent in the ensuing five minute overtime period, but Lamenta came up big for her team and forced a shootout.

After the first six shooters missed, U of T senior Jacqueline Scheffel faked out Lamenta and then deked to the backhand to put the Blues on the board. Kesteris then had a chance to secure the victory for U of T and she did just that, making a spectacular diving stick save to hand the Gryphons their first loss of the season.

After the game, shootout hero Scheffel praised her team’s performance and explained that the key to the Blues’ resiliency is a positive mentality: “You’ve just got to bring it together and say [that] ‘we’re in this game, we’re taking this game, this is our house, and we’ve got this.’” Evidently, they do.

Following a win against Brock University on Sunday, the team’s record now stands at 3-0.