Box Score LONDON, Ont. – In a clash of two nationally ranked teams the Western Mustangs women’s hockey team came out on top, taking down the Queen’s Gaels 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Thompson Arena. Currently ranked in eighth in the latest CIS Top 10, the Mustangs are the only team to defeat the number four Gaels in regulation this season, previously defeating them in Kingston on November 3.
 
The win was Western’s fourth in a row, including their second straight win over the CIS sixth ranked Laurier Golden Hawks, and the team ends the first half of the 2012-13 schedule with a 12-3-1 record. The Mustangs sit in fourth place in the OUA, five points behind the league leading Golden Hawks, and four points behind the Gaels.
 
Katelyn Gosling led Western in scoring on Sunday, picking up two assists, while three different Mustangs found the back of the net. Kelly Campbell was outstanding between the pipes, earning eighth win of the season and stopping 36 of 38 shots.
 
Queen’s came out of the gate hard, outshooting the Mustangs 13-5 in the first period. Despite the disparity in shots as well as finding themselves in penalty trouble the Western defence held and Campbell and company kept the Gaels from getting on the score sheet, making for a 0-0 tie after the opening 20 minutes.
 
The offence picked up in the middle frame, with Jessica Ross taking advantage of a Queen’s penalty to score her third goal of the season, this one coming on the power play less than five minutes into the period.
 
The Gaels answered back quickly, as Kristin Smith scored just over 90 seconds later, tying things up at one goal a piece.
 
Later in the period Western again utilized a strong power play attack when Stacey Scott beat Queen’s netminder Karissa Savage to put the Mustangs in front 2-1, a lead they would take into the second intermission.
 
Western started out the third period on the defensive, killing off a penalty that occurred at the final whistle of the second period. Despite being down a skater, Kryshandra Green was undeterred, taking a puck hard to the Queen’s net and flipping it past Savage for the shorthanded goal.
 
The Gaels continued to push, with Danielle Girard bringing the team within one just past the six-minute mark of the period. Queen’s had an excellent chance to even the score on a near breakaway with four seconds left, but Campbell shut the door, preserving a 3-2 Western victory.
 
Western now gets for the holiday break as players begin to prepare for final projects and exams. The team returns to the ice in the New Year, heading to Waterloo for a tournament from January 3-6.