OSHAWA, Ont. – After 90 minutes of play and extra time couldn't decide a winner, it all came down to penalty kicks in the OUA Final, with the Guelph Gryphons edging out the Western Mustangs by a 2-1 score on Sunday afternoon at Oshawa Civic.
 
The Mustangs will now head to the U SPORTS Championship as the OUA Silver Medalists, and will take on the Laval Rouge et Or on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. Central Standard Time in Winnipeg.
 
Guelph claimed gold in the shootout when goaltender Libby Brenneman stopped the Mustangs first two shots before Western hit the post on their third attempt. Rookie Kaylin Twardowski and Allison Clouse netted the Gryphons first two shots, before Victoria Hinchliffe scored on Guelph's third attempt to take the match.
 
Guelph would trail for their second straight game at the championship as Western's Julia Crnjac scored the opening goal of the match in the 34th minute. Western held a 5-2 advantage in shots after 45 minutes.
 
Coming out of the locker room at half, the Gryphons looked like a completely different team and they were rewarded for their efforts as Hayley Howes would score the equalizer eight minutes in.
 
The Gryphons would outshoot Western 7-1 in the half, but Western goalkeeper Megan Girardi did not allow another goal against, sending the game into extra time.
 
In the next half hour of play, Western would be the aggressor outshooting the Gryphons 5-1 but they could not find a way to beat Brenneman for the game-winner, setting up the dramatics in penalty kicks.
 
This marked the first time since 2013 that the gold medal match was decided in penalty kicks. Western was also on the wrong side of that result as they fell to the Laurier Golden Hawks.
 
Western will now get set for the U SPORTS Championship, being hosted by the University of Manitoba from November 9-12. The Mustangs will start the tournament off with a matchup against the Laval Rouge et Or on Thursday morning at 10 a.m. CST.