OUA QUARTERS SET AS HAWKS AND GAELS EARN BYES

The Brock Badgers have backed into the OUA playoffs but the good news is that the St. Catharines-based squad is just a single win away from a spot in the Final Four on their home turf in two weeks. Brock, coming off of back-to-back losses against the second-seeded Queen's Golden Gaels, will face the fourth-seeded Guelph Gryphons Saturday, February 25 in the quarter-finals of the OUA women's hockey playoffs. Queen's earned a bye in the opening round with the two wins against the Badgers, finishing one point ahead of the third-place Toronto Varsity Blues. Lynn Watson and Miranda Costie scored for the Gaels, while Claire Hunt made 19 saves in a 2-1 victory Sunday at Jock Harty Arena. OUA scoring leader Kate Allgood had the lone goal for the Badgers, finishing the regular season with 26 goals and 12 assists. Allgood scored 15 more goals than the next-highest tally in the league, as three players finished with 11. Allgood also found the net in Queen's 3-2 victory over Brock Friday. Costie scored twice in the win, while Victoria Kaufmann had the other. The winner of the Brock/Guelph match-up will take on the No. 2 nationally-ranked Laurier Golden Hawks in one of two semi-finals in St. Catharines on March 4.

Queen's will play the winner of the quarter-final between the Blues and the Windsor Lancers in the other semi-final. Toronto finished up the regular season strong with a pair of shutout wins over the Waterloo Warriors and the Gryphons this week. Janine Davies and Annie Delguidice had a goal and an assist each for Toronto as they beat the Warriors 4-0 Saturday at Varsity Arena. The Blues led 1-0 after 40 minutes but fired three goals in past Jenna Pletzer in the third to ice the victory. Lisa Robertson made 18 saves for the shutout. Stephanie Lockert made 25 saves in goal for Toronto in a 4-0 win over the Gryphons Friday. Delguidice led the way with two goals, while Emily Patry scored once and added an assist.

The Lancers took the sixth and final playoff spot after finishing with an 8-11-4-1 record for 21 points, one point ahead of the York Lions. Windsor began the front end of a home-and-home with the Western Mustangs well, posting a 4-3 win in Windsor Saturday. Krista Kearns, Darris Ford, Mara Delaroche and Megan Casey had the Lancers goals, while Katie Clubb made 18 saves for the victory. Western countered in the rematch with a 5-1 win, for the team's seventh victory of the season. Lisa MacDonald scored twice for the Mustangs. Goalie Danielle Le Ber was busy, turning away 44 of 45 shots faced for the win.

Elsewhere around the league, Guelph blanked Waterloo 1-0 and Laurier shutout York 3-0 Saturday. The Gryphons and Lions tied 3-3 Sunday. York goalie Melanie Quinn was sharp, making 52 saves.

(Photo: York's Melanie Quinnmakes one of her 52 saves against Guelph Sunday. Photo by Andrew Craig.)