WATERLOO, Ont. - Paced by 17 points from Nicole Pullen over four games, the Western Mustangs cliniched a playoff spot and will finish in second or third place in the OUA regular season after going 3-1 on the weekend, Oct. 17-18, in Waterloo, Ont.
Falling 10-6 to Toronto on Oct. 18, Western lost its hopes for first place. But a 14-4 win over Guelph on Oct. 18 and two wins on Oct. 17 over McMaster, 13-5, and McGill, 18-8, helped to solidify second or third place in the standings.
The top four teams qualify for Final Four playoffs, held at McMaster Oct. 31-Nov. 1.
On Oct. 17, Pullen (Orangeville, Ont.) led Western with a five goal and one assist performance in the 13-5 win over the Marauders. Rookie Emmi Morris (Brampton, Ont.) had two goals and two assists.
Later in the day, Western thumped McGill 18-8, led by Lindsay Doxtator (Southwold, Ont.) with four goals and one assist. Pullen added a hattrick and one helper, while Morris and Larissa Boychuk (Mississauga, Ont.) also netted three goals each.
Freshman Lauren Crape (Calgary, Alta.) added two goals and two assists, with Beth Turowec (Oshawa, Ont.) chipping in with a pair of goals, too.
On Oct. 18, Western fell 10-6 to Toronto, led by Morris' two-goal, one-assist performance. Doxtator, Pullen, Carrie White (Mississauga, Ont.) and Laura Robinson (Peterborough, Ont.) added singles.
Western thumped Guelph 14-4, with Boychuk pacing Western with five goals and Crape adding four goals and one helper. Robinson, Doxtator, Pullen, Turowec and Tasha McLean (London, Ont.) added singles.
On Saturday Oct. 24, Western plays Queen's (6-3) in Kingston and Guelph in the afternoon in the final two regular season games. The game with Queen's will determine second place in the OUA standings.
Toronto will finish in first place. Laurier will finish in third or fourth place, and depending on the outcome of Queen's three weekend games, the Gaels could finish anywhere between first and fourth.
OUA Standings (as of Oct. 19, 2009)
| |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
PTS |
| Toronto |
9 |
9 |
0 |
0 |
128 |
67 |
27 |
| Western |
10 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
105 |
78 |
21 |
| Queen's |
9 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
128 |
93 |
18 |
| Laurier |
11 |
6 |
5 |
0 |
106 |
92 |
18 |
| McGill |
9 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
95 |
106 |
10 |
| McMaster |
10 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
66 |
128 |
6 |
| Guelph |
8 |
0 |
7 |
1 |
59 |
117 |
1 |
