The Varsity Blues field hockey team battled the elements and dropped a narrow 3-2 decision to the Guelph Gryphons in the OUA final on Sunday, October 31 at Dowsview Park.

Both teams had already booked their place in the CIS national championship tournament next weekend, which will be hosted by Guelph. Joining the Gryphons and Varsity Blues will be the Waterloo Warriors, who knocked off the Western Mustangs by a score of 3-1 in the bronze medal game on Sunday to earn the final OUA spot.

The first half was played almost entirely amid snow flurries and blustery conditions. The Gryphons, who finished tied with the Varsity Blues atop the OUA standings but got the first seed thanks to a higher goal differential, got on the board first with a goal just two minutes into the game off the stick of Brittany Seidler (Oliver, B.C.). Tegan Stairs of Kitchener, Ont. pushed the lead to two with an action goal 12 minutes later.

The Blues struggled to capitalize on their corner opportunities but got on the board just before the end of the half when second-year forward Natalie Provenzano of Richmond Hill, Ont., showed some great poise and sent a booming shot past the Gryphons goalie and into the net.

Guelph regained their two-goal lead in the 42nd minute when Samantha Anderson (Delta, B.C.) fired the ball past Blues goalie Samantha Lyzun (West Vancouver, B.C.) after a series of passes off a corner.

Toronto midfielder Kelley Lusk of North Vancouver, B.C., narrowed the gap with a goal off a corner in the 58th minute. The Blues attempted to complete the comeback with a few solid chances in the final minutes but the Gryphons held on for the victory to claim their second consecutive provincial banner.

Kaelan Watson of Richmond, B.C., was named the Varsity Blues player of the game.

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