LONDON, Ont. – The Western Mustangs trio of Ali Beres, Tia Kipfer, and Katie Hubert proved that even though this afternoon marked the first time the three suited up in Mustangs uniforms in regular season action, the newcomers are a force to be reckoned with.
 
The three recorded a goal each in the women's hockey team's 4-3 overtime win over the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday afternoon at Thompson Arena. Along with the offensive firepower from some of the team's newest recruits, veteran Katelyn Gosling added a goal and two assists to contribute to the purple and white victory.
 
"I thought our last 10 minutes was our best, that's always good going into the next game to finish on a strong note," said Mustangs head coach Chris Higgins. "That team is very disappointed they thought they had the game in hand."
 
Today's win marks the Mustangs first victory in the regular season and gives the team a 1-0-0 record in the OUA standings, while the Warriors move to a 1-1-2 record on the season so far.
 
The Mustangs encountered some tough luck in the first period as they were able to control the play, but were unable to control the scoreboard. Despite keeping the puck in the Warriors end of the ice, it was Waterloo's Rachel Marriott who got to the score sheet first after putting the puck past Mustangs goaltender Kelly Campbell almost half way through the period.
 
Western continued to work hard and generate shots on Warriors goaltender Stephanie Sluys, and it was Beres who put the Mustangs onto the board with a goal at the seventeen-minute mark to even up the game. But the tough luck continued for the Mustangs as the Warriors Rebecca Rutherford responded quickly, picking up a loose puck at centre ice to take it deep into Mustangs territory and past Campbell to give Waterloo a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
 
The Mustangs continued to put shots on net in the second frame, working diligently to cut the Warriors one goal lead, and that hard work paid off when Gosling found the back of the net to tie the game up 2-2 13 minutes into the period. The even score did not last long however, as Marissa Redmond responded just over 30 seconds later with another Warriors goal to take back the lead.
 
Although the Mustangs were down by one heading into the third period of the contest, the purple and white began to play aggressively with the Warriors, battling it out to prove just who wanted the win more. Late into the period Kipfer netted the game-tying Mustangs goal with less than five minutes remaining in the third.
 
With an even 3-3 score, the two teams headed back onto the ice for a five minute, four-on-four overtime period. But the Mustangs didn't need the whole five minutes as Hubert scored over one minute into the overtime action. Hubert put the puck past Sluys to end the game then and there with her game-winning goal, and to bring home the first regular season victory for the Mustangs.
 
"This team has really meshed more than any team I've ever been on, and that's really contributed to our team's success," said Hubert.
 
Western doesn't have long to reflect on their victory as they'll return to the ice on Sunday afternoon for a 4 p.m. matchup with the Laurier Golden Hawks at Thompson Arena.