The No. 5 nationally-ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the No. 3 Guelph Gryphons, 3-2 in a shootout, on Friday, November 1 at Varsity Arena.

HOW IT HAPPENED: The Gryphons scored two first-period goals and held onto that lead until midway through the third frame.

Rookie forward Natasha Athanasakos scored her team-leading fifth of the season, ripping a booming shot into a wide open net. Then, just 25 seconds later, third-year forward Adrianna Noble evened the score as she flipped the puck over Gryphon's goalie Aurore Beaulieu off of a faceoff.

Overtime solved nothing as the game headed into a shootout. Both goalies stood tall through five shooters but team captain Stephanie Ayres broke the deadlock on Toronto's sixth attempt. Guelph's Lauren Ianni then missed her attempt to seal the Blues victory.

Second-year goalie Erica Fryer made 22 saves, and six in the shootout, in the win.

UP NEXT: The Blues return to the ice next Saturday, November 9 when they host the Queen's Gaels at Varsity Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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