The Western Mustangs women’s lacrosse team finished the 2009 season the same way they started it: by beating the six-time defending OUA champion Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. The first win – in the season-opener -- ended the Hawks’ 26-game winning streak. And the second win? That earned the Mustangs their first ever Patterson Cup as OUA champions.
It truly was a storybook season in 2009 for the Mustangs, who hadn’t had a top-3 finish since capturing an OUA silver in 2002. Western capped it off by beating Laurier, 9-5, in the finale to end the Hawks’ reign at the top. The defending champs scored first, but the Mustangs then went on a 7-0 run. The defense then did the rest, including goalkeeper Summer Windley (Kitchener, Ont.), who made 25 saves in the win. Emmi Morris (Brampton, Ont.) and Lauren Crape (Calgary, AB) led Western offensively, scoring two goals apiece.
The Mustangs, who entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed after posting a 9-3 regular season record, booked a spot in the OUA Final with a thrilling 8-7 semifinal win over the No. 3-seeded Queen’s Gaels (8-4) a day earlier. Nicole Pullen (Orangeville, Ont.) was the top scorer in that contest, tallying four of Western’s eight goals.
For most of the year, the Mustangs used a balanced offensive attack en route to scoring 134 regular season goals (third-most in OUA). Morris had 26 goals, while Crape scored 23, Pullen tallied 22 and Lindsay Doxtator (Southwold, Ont.) managed 21. Doxtator also collected 16 assists to give her a team-high 37 points. But it was defense that put the Western women over the top. The Mustangs allowed a league-low 84 goals against during the regular season, one fewer than the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, who posted a perfect 12-0 record during the regular campaign.
OUA Regular Season Record:
9-3 (second place in OUA standings)
OUA Playoff Record:
2-0 (2009 OUA Champions)
Beat Wilfrid Laurier (six-time defending OUA champs) 9-5 in OUA gold-medal game
OUA Awards:
T. Litzen Sports Outstanding Rookie - Emmi Morris (Brampton, Ont.)
First-Team All-Stars: Nicole Pullen - Midfield (Orangeville, Ont.), Laura Robinson - Defender (Peterborough, Ont.) and Summer Windley - Goaltender (Kitchener, Ont.)
Second-Team All-Stars: Lindsay Doxtator - Attack (Southwold, Ont.) and Meranda Hodgson - Defender (Brighton, Ont.)
