Stairs tallies twice to give Guelph win over Mustangs

Photo credit to Craig Glover

LONDON, Ont. - Brienne Stairs added to her impressive goal total this season, scoring two goals in a 2-0 shutout over the Western Mustangs on Oct. 19 at TD Waterhouse Stadium.

Dorothy Marcy earned the shutout in the Guelph net, making a couple of key saves late in the game.

Guelph opened the scoring 19 minutes into the game when Stairs deflected a shot into the top corner past Western goalie Gilliam Cummings.

About 10 minutes later, Western's Elsbeth Tate (Richmond, B.C.) had a chance to tie the game but her one-timer from 10 feet out went wide and may have been deflected.

Late in the opening half, Cummings made a big save on a wide open Guelph scoring chance to keep the score at 1-0 for Guelph.

Stairs added an insurance goal, her 28th of the season, early in the second half, punching a shot from a bad angle past Cummings who was helpless.

The Mustangs mounted pressure late but could not capitalize.

Marcy kicked out her leg pad on an outside shot set up on a penalty stroke from Western to preserve the shutout. Louise Radford (Guelph, Ont.) redirected the ensuing corner, but the ball skipped wide of the net.

Both teams enjoyed periods of long possession but the Guelph defence proved to be the difference, holding the Western offence to the outside throughout.

Western head coach Jeff Pacheco said he was pleased with the game, but frustrated with the lack of finishing touch.

"Guelph is a strong team," Pacheco said. "We contained them but they scored on the few scoring chances they had."

"We had a few small windows to score and could not convert."

He said he was especially happy with the play of sophomore sweeper Kirsten Jewell (Toronto).

"Kirsten was great for us tonight," he said. "She made a lot of awesome tackles, had great distribution and played well overall."

TORONTO 1, YORK 0

On Saturday, the Toronto Varsity Blues took on the York Lions at Iceland's Fields in Mississauga, Ont.

The Blues were dominant throughout most of the game, forcing many penalty corners and peppering York goalie Brittney Blount (Ottawa) with countless shots. The OUA all-star kept her team in the game, making numerous saves on the Blues' forwards. However, fifth-year veteran Rianna Sterk (Embro, Ont.) would finally solve Blount late in the first half, putting the ball away off a short corner.

Although the Blues continued their dominance in the second half, they would not find the goal again, as the Ottawa native put on a goalkeeping clinic in one of her best games of the year.

Nonetheless, Toronto would go on to a 1-0 victory in their only game of the day.

TORONTO 4, QUEEN'S 0

The Blues would find their finishing touch in their second game of the weekend, shutting out the Queen's Gaels in a 4-0 win at Varsity Centre on Sunday.

The scoring was spread out, as three different Toronto players got on the score sheet. Kyesia O'Neale (Mississauga, Ont.) and Angela Jennings (Ottawa) would each score off of penalty corners, while Sterk would tally her second goal of the weekend.

Natalie Provenzano (Richmond Hill, Ont.) found the net for her seventh goal of the season, moving her into a tie with Kristen Shier (North Vancouver, B.C.) for the team lead.

GUELPH 8, WATERLOO 0

The Guelph Gryphons defeated the Waterloo Warriors 8-0 on Saturday at Iceland.

Angela Lancaster (Burlington, Ont.) spearheaded the Gryphons by earning two early penalty corners. Krissy Wishart (Hamilton, Ont.) passed to freshman Tegan Stairs (Kitchener, Ont.) who converted the first penalty corner two minutes into the play.

At the 13-minute mark, fifth-year left defender and co-captain Megan Shewfelt (Tavistock, Ont.) found the back of the net through the keeper's five-hole, her first OUA goal of her career. Fifth-year sweeper Heather Mitchell (Guelph, Ont.) blasted a shot from the far right side of the circle for her second goal of the season, assisted by Wishart and Shewfelt. Wishart and Brienne Stairs (Kitchener, Ont.) also added singles for a 5-0 half-time lead.

After the break, Guelph continued to generate the attack. Rookie Shaelyn Johnston (Milton, Ont.) put the Gryphons ahead by six as she followed the ball over the line for her third goal of the season. One minute later, Stairs stole the ball off a Waterloo defender deep in their circle for the 7-0 margin. Rookie Amy Wise (Surrey, B.C.) scored top shelf on a reverse stick shot for the final 8-0 tally and her first as a Gryphon. Dorothy Marcy (Oliver, B.C.) and Kaye McLagan (Mitchell, Ont.) combined for the shutout.

WATERLOO 3, CARLETON 2

The Waterloo Warriors scored a goal in the final minute of regulation play to defeat the Carleton Ravens 3-2 in a game played at Iceland in Mississauga, Ont.

The match was close as twice Carleton came back from one-goal deficits to only see the game slip away in the final minute of play.

Carleton's Joanna Forbes (Gatineau, Que.) scored her first goal of the season in the 47th minute to tie the match at one. After Waterloo regained the lead, Yvonne Langdon (Cambridge, Ont.) scored her second of the year to tie the match at two, with 10 minutes remaining.

Carleton continued to put pressure on Waterloo but a break with less than two minutes remaining resulted in the match winning goal to send Carleton to its 13th consecutive regular season loss.

Clara Szullo (Kanata, Ont.) made six saves in Carleton's net on nine shots.

Jessica Lawson, Kara Moro and Jaimie Wey all scored for Waterloo.

WESTERN 2, GUELPH 2

The Gryphons tied the Western Mustangs, 2-2 on Saturday. This was the first meeting between the two teams this season.

Guelph took an early lead as Krissy Wishart (Hamilton, Ont.) fired a shot to the back of the cage on a penalty corner. For the remainder of the half, there was no flow to the play.

After intermission, the match became a very physical affair. Angela Lancaster (Burlington, Ont.) notched Guelph's second marker of the contest on a scramble in front of the goal assisted by Meagan Shewfelt (Tavistock, Ont.) and Wishart.

At the 55-minute mark, Lancaster and a Western player were removed from the game for eight minutes so both teams played short.

Guelph had a few good opportunities to score but while the two players were sitting out Western retaliated to reduce the gap converting on a penalty corner. Unfortunately, with seven minutes remaining, the Mustangs scored the equalizer for a 2-2 final.

Louise Radford and Elsbeth Tate scored for Western.

WESTERN 2, CARLETON 0

In its final regular season match, Carleton gave Western a good fight but the Mustangs were able to convert to rushes for goals, one in each half and that was enough to secure the victory.

In their final OUA career games, Jackie Fung (Ottawa) and Jennifer White (Oakville, Ont.) played well on defence, keeping the more experienced Mustang forwards from scoring more than the two they did score.

Rookie goalkeeper Clara Szullo (Kanata, Ont.) again stopped 15 shots as Western out shot Carleton 17-3 for the match.

YORK 4, QUEEN'S 1

The York Lions defeated the Queen's Gaels 4-1 in a game played at Toronto's Varsity Centre on Sunday.

Tracy Broome, Sara Vitelli, Adriana Fernandes and Shannon Vance all scored for the Lions in the victory.

Emily Newton tallied Queen's lone marker.

YORK 3, MCGILL 1

Earlier on Sunday, the York Lions down the McGill Martlets 3-1.

Adriana Fernandes, Shannon Vance and Effie Petrou all scored for the Lions.

Maria Oswald scored for McGill.

WATERLOO 3, MCGILL 2

The Waterloo Warriors edged the McGill Martlets 3-2 on Sunday.

Winnie Huynh, Jessica Lawson and Maria Bauer-Leahy all scored for the Warriors.

Netting McGill goals were Laura Slipp and Rachel Berta.

WESTERN 3, MCGILL 0

Michelle Weber scored two times to lead the Western Mustangs to a 3-0 win over the McGill Martlets on Saturday.

Anne Wozney also scored for Western.

Source:

Western Mustangs, Toronto Varsity Blues, Guelph Gryphons, Carleton Ravens