OSHAWA, Ont. – The Western Mustangs broke out for five goals Saturday afternoon, including two each from defenceman Brianna Iazzolino and forward April Clark, as they defeated the UOIT Ridgebacks 5-2 at the Campus Ice Centre.

The win snaps a three-game losing streak and vaults the purple and white into a tie for fifth place in the OUA standings with a 4-1-5-1 record.

The Mustangs took an early lead on Iazzolino's first goal of the season after just over three minutes of play in the opening period. The Ridgebacks tied the game when junior forward Chelsea Ball beat starter Shelby Ryan for her third goal of the season, but Clark put Western in the lead less than two minutes later. UOIT bookended an evenly contested period with a goal from veteran forward Nicole LoPresti, her second of the season, to send the teams into the first intermission tied 2-2.

Ryan, getting her first start for the Mustangs since making back-to-back appearances against Laurier and Waterloo at the end of October, turned aside seven of nine shots she faced, but was replaced by Katie Jacobs to begin the second period. Tori Campbell, Ryan's counterpart, kept her team in the game by making 15 saves as the Ridgebacks were outshot 17-9.

The Mustangs continued to pile on the shots in the second period, and it paid dividends when they took the lead on the power play thanks to Clark's second goal of the game. The multi-point performance is already the third of the season for the St. Mary's, Ont., native.

Iazzolino added to the lead under three minutes later with her second goal of the game and sophomore forward Evra Levesque put Western on the scoreboard once again with her second goal of the season after tallying her first goal the game prior. Jacobs held the Ridgebacks scoreless, registering eight saves as the Mustangs headed into the second break up 5-2.

That score would hold up for the rest of the match as Jacobs turned aside all four shots she faced to help secure the victory for Western. The Mustangs continued the theme of outshooting the Ridgebacks, holding a 9-4 advantage in that department, and held the Ridgebacks scoreless while on the penalty kill to extend Western's streak of not allowing a power play goal to three games.

The Mustangs return to Thompson Arena to take on the York Lions on Sunday, November 20, at 4 p.m. Fans can tune into all the action live on OUA.tv