The No. 2 University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team suffered their first loss of the season to the No. 10 Nipissing Lakers 2-1 on Friday night (Nov 15) in North Bay.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: The Blues and Lakers both played a strong defensive game, not allowing each other to get many pucks in scoring areas. The Blues managed to find some space late in the frame and Laura Ellis lifted the puck over Nipissing goalie Danika Ranger to score her first of the season and open up the scoring.
 
More of the same defensive play continued in the second period. Second-year forward Taylor Trussler used her speed to get a nice scoring chance but Ranger shut the door to hold the Blues lead to one through 40 minutes.
 
Halfway through the third period, Nipissing got on the board with a goal from Britney Zack. Only 45 seconds later, Jetta Derenoski scored another goal for the Lakers to give them the lead. The Blues applied pressure and looked to tie the game back up, but it wasn't enough to get past Ranger and the Lakers defence.
 
Second-year goalie Erica Fryer made 21 saves in the losing effort.
 
UP NEXT: The Blues look to get back in the win column tomorrow (Nov 16) when they take on the Laurentian Voyageurs in Sudbury at 4:00 pm.

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