Yoko Murphy (Toronto, Ont.) and Tory Merrill (Orangeville, Ont.) scored 11 goals each as the University of Toronto Varsity Blues women’s lacrosse team went 1-1 on Saturday, September 27 at the University of Toronto’s back campus field. The Blues defeated the McGill Martletts 13-6 and narrowly fell to Queen’s Gaels 13-12.

The Blues came out on fire, scoring six goals before McGill could get on board. Yoko Murphy (Toronto, Ont.) led Toronto’s offensive drives, tallying five goals in the first half, including the first three of the game. Amie Enns (Mississauga, Ont.) and Marissa Lapedis (Ann Arbor, MI) scored for the Martletts while Blues midfielders Tory Merrill (Orangeville, Ont.) and Taryn Greider (Toronto, Ont.) added one apiece to put Toronto up 7-2 at the midway point of the game.

The Blues continued to dominate as Merrill and Murphy each added two more goals early in the second half. Attempting to spark their offence, attacker France Hahn notched one for McGill, but Murphy answered back quickly, scoring her seventh goal of the game.

Megan Halbrook (Woodinville, HA), Bryanne Leeming (Hanover, NH) and Jacqueline Millette (Northhampton, MA) scored the last three McGill goals but it was too little too late as the Blues defence shut down any further Martlett chances.

Carly Brown (Dryden, Ont.) scored her first goal of the season while Merrill and first-year attacker Sarah Woodward (Toronto, Ont.) added one more each to secure the Blues victory. Toronto goalie Anna Huynh (Mississauga, Ont.) made some key saves towards the end of the game.

Merrill led the Blues offence as the score went back-and-forth in Toronto’s second match of the day. She scored an astounding six goals in the first half, with Murphy adding one for the Blues. The score going into the half was 7-5 for the Blue and White.

Queen’s offence sparked in the second half, as they scored seven goals in a row to take the lead. The Blues rallied back, as Merrill and Murphy recorded two and three goals, respectively, but it wasn’t enough and Queen’s walked away with the 13-12 win.

The Varsity Blues travel to Kingston to take on the McGill Martletts and the Western Mustangs, next Saturday, October 4 and Sunday, October 5, respectively. Both games are scheduled for 11 a.m.

In other OUA lacrosse action, the Laurier Golden Hawks defeated the Queen’s Gaels 12-8, while the McGill Martletts came away with a 13-4 victory over the Guelph Gryphons. Kirsten Gerrie (Orillia, Ont.) and Amy Fincham (Whitby, Ont.) tallied four goals each for the Golden Hawks and Martha Ross (Newton, Man.) led the Gaels offence with three goals. Hahn scored four goals and tallied two assists for McGill, while Sarah Finbow (Huntsville, Ont.) and Beth Pink (Orangeville, Ont.) notched two apiece for Guelph.