Box Score The Waterloo women's hockey team gave the top-seeded Guelph Gryphons all they could handle in the opening game of the OUA quarter-finals but fell short by a final score of 3-1. 

The Warriors would get the first power play of the game after a tripping call against Kelly Gribbons at 6:01. It looked like Waterloo scored immediately off the face-off, but Gryphon netminder Stephanie Nehring was able to smother the puck before the Waterloo players could push it in. The Gryphons successfully killed the penalty and the game remained scoreless.

The Gryphons would receive a power play later on in the first period after Waterloo player Siobhan Hewitt-Kenda (North Vancouver/) was called for tripping at 12:48. The Gryphons were quick to set up in the offensive zone, with Emily Corbett taking a shot from the point, but it unfortunately went off the iron. It would be a beautiful shot from the top of the circle by Leigh Shilton that would find the upper right-hand corner of the net and make it 1-0 for the Gryphons.  The  Gryphons would end the first period outshooting the Warriors 10-3.

The Warriors were back in the box early on in the second period after Lindsey McDonald (Ajax/) got four minutes for checking to the head at 1:45. The Gryphons were slow to set up in front of the net, but Amanda Parkins was able to get a shot off from the top of the circle at 4:01 on the power play to make it 2-0.

Down 2-1, Waterloo upped the intensity in the third period, taking over control of the game offensively. They managed to find a hole through the Gryphon defense, and Carolyn Burke (Mississauga/) was able to use her speed to out skate Gryphon defenders and take a shot on net. After a couple rebounds Burke was able to finally punch the puck past Nehring making it 2-1 with just under eight minutes to play.

With 2:30 left in the game Waterloo would pull their netminder but could not find the equalizer opening the door for Guelph's Averi Nooren to seal the game with the empty net tally to hand Waterloo the 3-1 loss.

Warrior goalie Rebecca Bouwhuis (Orillia/) was solid between the pipes stopping 27 of 29 shots faced.

Waterloo will look to even the series on Saturday when they host Guelph at 2:30pm in the friendly confines of the CIF arena.  Come out and support your black and gold or catch the game live on Warriors TV.