Gryphon women’s lacrosse drop final game in OUA championships to Western to finish second

Chris Muller

 

On Oct. 22, the women’s lacrosse team hosted Western in the OUA championship game. Western led for the better part of the contest, and in the end Guelph came up just short, losing 12-6. The second place finish is a great improvement for the Gryphons: they finished fifth overall last year.

Led by the play of OUA all stars Dana Skyvington and Katie Smith, the Gryphons fought hard against a Western team that has consistently been among the elite in women’s lacrosse. Moving forward, it would appear that Guelph is poised to challenge Western as the Gryphons steadily improve.

“I’m really proud of this team, and I’m really proud of the effort and the heart that they played with,” said head coach Steph Green.

Green noted that it was fitting that the two undefeated teams from the regular season would meet in the final.

“The whole team was great. When one person doesn’t stand out, that’s good,” said Green.

The team mentality was strong even after the bitter loss to Western, with many of the players congratulating each other on their efforts.

Playing on the surface of the newly constructed Athletic Field Multiplex, the Gryphons hope to continue the success of this year into next season. The new facility served as a great venue for the tournament, and the Gryphons intend on maintaining their home field advantage in the new facility for years to come.

At the sound of the final whistle, the spirits of the players were high even though they fell just short of the golden finish they had hoped for.

“Gryphon pride and Gryphon heart [are what got the Gryphons to where they are]” said Green.

It’s this mentality that will propel the Gryphons to further success in the coming seasons and if this year’s finish is any indication, the Gryphons are set to become one of the elite lacrosse teams in the coming years.

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