The Western Mustangs' women's ice hockey team dropped the second game of a home-and-home versus Guelph at Thompson Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The Mustangs were riding high after their 5-3 defeat of Guelph on Thursday evening, but it may have gotten their confidence too high, as co-captain April Clark suggested.
 
"We just didn't really work well as a team. We came off a big high, playing against them on Thursday night, so I think we were a little cocky coming in, but we've just got to make sure we play as a team next time."
 
Western and Guelph started off the game going back and forth, before Guelph was able to sustain some pressure in their offensive zone and convert. Kristen Jay opened the scoring for the game, off of an assist by Lauren Ianni. The Mustangs, despite an effort to respond, gave up another goal under a minute later to Gabriele Underwood. Mustangs head coach Candice Moxley called a timeout prior to the next faceoff to re-group her team.
 
On the message she gave during her timeout, Moxley said, "[It was] that this isn't our style of game. We were backing off of pucks, we weren't getting into people, we weren't bumping, so we just need to get back and [get] a reminder of how we play, and how we see success on the ice. Ultimately, I think they did respond, but we dug ourselves a hole tonight, and it was really tough to get out of."
 
After the timeout, the Mustangs were able to trade offensive chances with the Gryphons before going on the powerplay off of a body checking minor. Their offence was quickly stifled, however, as Guelph made quick work of tying up their sticks and trapping the Mustangs along the boards. The period ended with Western trailing by two.
 
In the second frame, the Mustangs and Gryphons were racing each other end to end on the ice as they chipped in pucks and chipped them back out of their respective zones. Halfway through, Western's line of Sydnee Baker, Brooke DiCicco, and Kira Memet were able to put on some pressure in the Gryphon's zone, but ultimately were not able to score.
 
Emma Thomas received a minor for roughing midway through the second, but the 'Stangs were able to pull through as they were successful in getting into shooting lanes and tying up sticks to kill off the penalty.
 
However, with three minutes left, the Gryphons were able to convert yet again, as Rylee Davison skated towards the net and put one top shelf over the shoulder of Western goaltender Carmen Lasis. The Mustangs continued to be pestered in their own zone for duration of the period, looking to come back fresh for the third.
 
The final frame, though, was much of the same from the Mustangs. Guelph added another one to their tally midway through, as Davison put away her second of the night past Lasis' glove. The Western offence was finally able to respond, however, as April Clark scored her first of the season off of a face-off play that saw her skate the puck right to the net and tuck it in past the right pad of rookie goaltender Kathryn Raymond, who was playing in her very first OUA game of her career.
 
"We have this play where I go forward, and then I try to go back door to Janne [Janneke Watt], but they stuck with Janne so I just took it and luckily the goalie didn't move so I could pop it in right behind her," said Clark.
 
That goal would seal off the scoring for the rest of the game, as the Guelph Gryphons took the second and final regular season game against the Western Mustangs. Taking this week to regroup and go back to their own playing style, Moxley was optimistic about the next game, but ultimately still disappointed with today's outcome.
 
"It's early on, with mistakes that we can fix down the road, but it's definitely not ideal for us."
 
The Mustangs will be on the road for their next game as they face off against the Laurentian Voyageurs on Friday, November 1^st in Sudbury. The game can be streamed live on oua.tv.