The Varsity Blues women’s lacrosse team claimed the OUA bronze medal with a 16-10 win over the Queen’s Gaels on Sunday, November 1 at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont.

After a heartbreaking 8-7 loss to the defending OUA champions Laurier Golden Hawks in Saturday’s semifinal, the top-seeded Blues bounced back with a strong performance to end the season with a stellar 13-1 record and a bronze medal for the efforts.

Toronto’s dynamic all-star trio of Taryn Greider, Jen Held and Yoko Murphy each played a vital role for the Blues in the final game of the 2009 season. Held (Brampton, Ont.) led the team with six points, three goals and three assists, while Murphy (Toronto), the 2009 OUA most valuable player, and Greider (Cobourg, Ont.) each tallied four goals in the win.

The 2009 OUA coach of the year Todd Pepper had his squad ready to go in today’s match. The Blues jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the first half of play and then put things out of reach for the Gaels in the second half, outscoring their opponents 9-3 down the stretch.

Fifth-year Orangeville native Tori Merrill also chipped in with four points, netting two goals and assisting on two others.

The Blues suffered their first loss of the season in Saturday’s semi-final contest. After an undefeated (12-0) regular season, Toronto faced a hot Laurier goaltender and some unfavourably windy conditions in Hamilton, which equally contributed to the team’s loss.

The Hawks Hanna Burnett (Whitby, Ont.) turned away the league’s leading point getter, Jen Held, twice from the top of the circle in the dying minutes to help seal the slim one-goal victory for Laurier.

Murphy tallied three goals in this game, while Held added one plus an assist in a losing cause.

For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.