The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team heads to Waterloo, Ont., for Game 1 of a best-of-three semi-final series versus the Laurier Golden Hawks on Wednesday night (Feb. 19) at 7:30 p.m.

The Blues return home to host Game 2 on Friday, February 21 at Varsity Arena. Game 3, if necessary, will be back in Waterloo on Sunday night. Both games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets for Friday are on sale here. 

Toronto is coming off a marathon quarter-final series win over the Western Mustangs. The Blues took Game 1 in triple overtime, before the Mustangs edged Toronto in Game 2 in London. U of T rose to the challenge and came away with a thrilling 3-2 double OT victory on Sunday night to advance to their first semi-final series since 2008.

The Laurier Golden Hawks, who finished the season in second-place in the OUA standings, swept their quarter-final series with the UOIT Ridgebacks, notching a 3-1 win and 5-4 overtime victory.

Toronto and Laurier split the regular season series in 2013-14. The Hawks defeated the Blues 3-0 on Nov. 17 at Varsity Arena, before the Blues came away with a 3-2 shootout win on Jan. 18 in Waterloo – their first win over Laurier since 2006.

U of T holds a 4-4-1 head-to-head post season record with Laurier, with the Blues last defeating the Hawks 3-0 to claim the 2003 OUA title.

Second-year forward Alie Brind'Amour-McClure leads all players in the OUA with four post-season goals. She, along with linemates Courtney Brind'Amour-McClure and Amanda Ricker, have accounted for five of the Blues last seven goals.

Team captain Kelly O'Hanlon, sophomore standout Taylor Day and third-year forward Sonja Weidenfelder will look to step up in the semifinals. The trio led the Blues in the regular season, combining for 23 goals in 24 games.

Fourth-year netminder Nicole Kesteris will be relied on to shut down Laurier's offence. The Aurora, Ont., native ended the regular season as the top goalie in the OUA and CIS with a .948 save percentage.

Laura Brooker led the Hawks throughout 2013-14, notching 12 goals and adding 14 assists. Devon Skeats is also a scoring threat, having notched 12 goals this season, while Candice Styles also had 21 points in 24 regular season games.

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