On Saturday, the women’s hockey team defeated the Guelph Gryphons 4-2 on the road. Assistant coach Roger Healey said the game was an important one for the Gaels.
“We did well against a team that has given us trouble in the past. We were very happy with the result, and it was a good confidence booster for our team.”
Elizabeth Kench led the Gaels with a goal and two assists, all in the final 20 minutes of the game.
“She was really outstanding for us in the third period,” Healey said.
Alison Bagg, Kori Cembal and Rebecca Conroy also scored for Queen’s.
First-year goalie Katie Boyd made 16 saves to earn the win. Boyd is currently tied for second in save percentage in the country with a .943 mark, and her 1.86 goals-against average is good enough for eighth. Healey said the team had not originally been planning to use Boyd as their primary goalie.
“We thought we’d have our two returning goalies from last year, but Claire Hunt had an injury, so Katie came in as the number-two goalie, played very well, and earned the starting spot,” he said. “We’re confident she’ll make the big saves, but our team plays pretty confidently in front of both goalies [Boyd and Melissa John].” Guelph took the lead in the first period, but the Gaels replied in the second to tie the game at 1-1. The Gryphons went ahead in the first few seconds of the third period, scoring just after the opening faceoff. According to Healey, this was a crucial turning point in the game.
“Often, I’ve seen a team give up after a quick goal, but we just rallied.” The Gaels scored three unanswered goals to clinch the victory.
Head coach Harold Parsons said the team played one of their best third periods of the season. “We had a feeling of confidence from our players, and they really stepped up.” Next weekend, the team will go on a two-game road trip, facing first-place Laurier on Friday night, and last-place York on Saturday.
“We’re pretty confident in our game right now, and we’re getting goals from a lot of different players,” Parsons said.
Healey agreed that balanced scoring would be required for the team to achieve success. “If we can get all four lines playing well, we’ll be fine.”
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