Box Score LONDON, Ont. – Two goals from Jessica Sorensen helped lead the Western Mustangs women's hockey team to a 4-3 victory over the York Lions in a thrilling, penalty-filled affair on Saturday afternoon at the Thompson Arena.

 "At 5-on-5, we were the better team," said Mustangs head coach Chris Higgins, "We controlled the play. We had some penalty trouble in the first and second periods and they [York] got us back on our heels. They played a very good team. Their goalie played extremely well in the first period when we dominated. I'm happy we came up with the win."

With the win in Saturday's home opener, the CIS No. 8 Mustangs maintain their undefeated regular season record, sitting at 3-0 and tying them for first place in the OUA with the Guelph Gryphons.
 
Western handily controlled the first period, consistently peppering York goalie Megan Lee with shots, but just could not find the back of the net. After fifteen tense minutes, and with both teams finally at full strength, the York Lions were first to get on the board, as Dana Somerville beat Western's starting netminder Olivia Ross. York led 1-0 after twenty minutes, despite Western's 18-8 shots-on-goal advantage.
 
The Lions came close to earning their second goal of the game early on in the second, however the Mustangs took possession of the puck and Katelyn Gosling tied the game at 1-1 with an unassisted goal. Just under three minutes later a scramble in from of York's net resulted in Western taking a 2-1 lead on a goal from Marlowe Pecora.
 
Shortly after Pecora's goal a slashing call on Western's Michelle Saunders turned the tables on the Mustangs, as Andrea Joyce netted the first of York's two goals in the period, scoring on the power play at 7:38. Three minutes later, York forward Amy Locke put her team up 3-2 on a shot from the blue line.
 
Down 3-2, Western switched goaltenders and Kelly Campbell took over goalkeeping duties for the rest of the game. The change proved successful for the Mustangs as the Lions could not find the answer to get past Campbell. Late in the period, Sorensen put the pressure back on York and tied the game 3-3 on her first goal in a Western uniform. York returned the pressure and the teams battled to the end of the period, sending the game to the intermission tied at three.
 
The Mustangs found the motivation they needed to take the win when Sorensen put up her second goal of the night – and what would be the game-winner -- at 6:29 of the third. Critical blocks from Saunders and solid defence allowed the Mustangs to maintain their lead, even as the Lions pulled Lee for the extra skater with 1:18 remaining.

Final shots on net were 31-27 in favour of the Mustangs.
 
"This team never quits," said Higgins after the game. "It's been a characteristic of them for the last year. It doesn't matter if we're up or down, we still play the same. It gives me a lot of confidence in them."
 
And heading into the Sunday's match against UOIT, Higgins knows the Ridgebacks will provide a stiff test.

"It's going to be real tough," said Higgins. "They're undefeated. They have a strong, strong team, but you know what these girls will do, they'll raise the bar to that level, so we'll be fine."
 
The Western women's hockey team caps off their Thanksgiving weekend with a 4:00 p.m. puck drop on Sunday, October 13 at Thompson Arena against Oshawa's UOIT Ridgebacks. Fans from around the world can watch all of the action live on Mustangs TV.