Emily Milito scored the game-winner as the Varsity Blues women’s hockey team defeated the Western Mustangs 2-0 on Sunday, November 21 at Varsity Arena.

With the win, the Blues improve to 8-5-0 and are now in fourth place, while the Mustangs drop to 3-9-0 and are in ninth place in the OUA standings.

Rookie goaltender Nicole Kesteris of Aurora, Ont., had another solid day, making 25 saves in her second career shut out victory.

Kesteris opened the game with a huge save as she denied a wide-open Katie Dillon (Oshawa, Ont.) all alone in front of the net.

The Blues got on the board with less than two minutes remaining in the first period when a Bianca Mirabelli point shot tipped off of first-year forward Amanda Ricker and Milito (Ottawa) was there to redirect it into the net.

The game went back and forth throughout the second period. Mustangs goaltender Jessica Ulrich of Keswick, Ont., came up with a big save on fourth-year Blues forward Amanda Fawns after the Scarborough, Ont., native dangled through a couple Western defencemen.

A couple minutes later, Kesteris put a stop to a Lindsay Redpath breakaway, but Mirabelli was called for the slashing as the Mustangs gained the man advantage for two minutes. Kesteris was solid on the penalty kill, denying numerous shots that came her way.

The Blues held on for the win with more excellent penalty killing in the third period. Veteran forward Brenley Jorgensen of Kingston, Ont., added some insurance with an empty-netter with 38 seconds remaining.

Milito was named the Varsity Blues player of the game.

The Blues return to the ice next Saturday, November 27 when they host the Brock Badgers at Varsity Arena. Game time is 3 p.m.

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