CALGARY (CIS) – Rookie Erin Houle scored all three goals as the fourth-seeded Guelph Gryphons captured the bronze medal at the FHC-CIS women’s field hockey championship with a 3-0 win over the top-seeded Toronto Varsity Blues, Sunday morning, at the University of Calgary’s Hawkings Field.

Houle found the back of the net in the first two minutes of both halves, adding her third with eight minutes to go as the Gryphons earned their revenge on the Varsity Blues for both last week’s OUA championship game – a lopsided 6-0 Toronto victory - as well as a 2-1 Blues victory in the round robin portion of the CIS tournament.

Houle, a first-year midfielder from Burlington, Ont., was held off the scoresheet throughout the tournament – until moments after the opening whistle in her final game. The first goal was set up nicely by Candace Hawksworth, who raced down the left wing, around a Toronto defender, and rifled the ball toward the front of the net. The freshman was able to get her stick on it and deflect it just out of the reach of Toronto netminder Kathryn Williams.

Houle was at it again in the early stages of the second half, scoring in the 37th minute to give Guelph a 2-0 lead. The Blues had no answer for the stifling defensive play of the Gryphons and were limited to just a few penalty corner opportunities – and none of those generated any dangerous chances.

With the Gryphons awarded a corner in the final 10 minutes, Houle whipped a shot from high in the circle that bounced past Williams to give her the hat trick.

After losing just once and giving up only four goals in 14 OUA conference and playoff games, Toronto was held to a 2-3 record with nine goals against at the FHC-CIS championship tourney.

Playing her final game for the Varsity Blues, fifth-year midfielder Hanna Tighe was named player of the game for Toronto. Both Kaelan Watson and Amanda Woodcroft were named championship all-stars.

The 2011 FHC-CIS championship wraps up Sunday afternoon as the host Calgary Dinos (3-1) take on the Canada West champion UBC Thunderbirds (4-0) for the McCrae Cup, with that match slated for 1 p.m. MT at Hawkings Field.

SCORING SUMMARY
GUE 1-2:3
TOR 0-0:0

First half
GUE: Erin Houle (1), 2nd

Second half
GUE: Erin Houle (2), 37th
GUE: Erin Houle (3), 62nd

Goaltenders
GUE: Kaye McLagan (W, 70:00, 0 GA, 2-3)
TOR: Kathryn Williams (L, 70:00, 3 GA, 2-3)

Players of the Game
GUE: Erin Houle
TOR: Hannah Tighe

Official championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/fh/index

PRE-CHAMPIONSHIP SEEDING

1. Toronto (OUA champions)
2. UBC (Canada West champions)
3. Calgary (Canada West second place)
4. Guelph (OUA finalists)
5. Alberta (Canada West third place)

STANDINGS, SCHEDULE & RESULTS (All times local: Mountain Time)

Round-robin standings (FINAL)

                        GP       W        L          T          GF       GA      PTS
1. UBC            4          4          0          0          10        3          12
2. Calgary        4          3          1          0          11        6          9
3. Toronto        4          2          2          0          5          6          6
4. Guelph         4          1          3          0          6          9          3
5. Alberta         4          0          4          0          2          10        0

NOTE: 3 points for a win and 1 point for a tie.

Thursday, Nov. 3
9:30 Round-Robin Game 1: UBC 2 Toronto 1
11:50 Round-Robin Game 2: Calgary 3 Guelph 2
15:30 Round-Robin Game 3: UBC 2 Alberta 0
17:50 Round-Robin Game 4: Toronto 2 Guelph 1

Friday, Nov. 4
12:00 Round-Robin Game 5: UBC 4 Calgary 2
14:20 Round-Robin Game 6: Guelph 3 Alberta 2
18:00 Round-Robin Game 7: Calgary 3 Toronto 0

Saturday, Nov. 5
10:00 Round-Robin Game 8: Calgary 3 Alberta 0
12:20 Round-Robin Game 9: UBC 2 Guelph 0
16:00 Round-Robin Game 10: Toronto 2 Alberta 0

Sunday, Nov. 6
10:00 Bronze medal: Guelph 3 Toronto 0
13:00 Championship final: UBC vs. Calgary