GUELPH, Ont. (February 27, 2010) – The Queen's Gaels women's hockey season came to an abrupt end on Saturday as the Guelph Gryphons swept their best-of-three OUA semifinal series with a 5-2 victory.

Three third period goals were the difference maker to finish the Gaels best women's hockey season since 2003-04.

Erin Small of Pickering, Ont., had a goal and two assists propelling the Gryphons to the OUA Championship. In all Small tallied four goals and two assists in the series against Queen's. Guelph's Danielle Skoufanis of Thornhill, Ont., was sharp in net making 21 saves on 23 shots for her third win of the 2009-10 playoffs.

Elizabeth Kench of Ganaonque, Ont., had a goal and an assist in the loss while Megan McNutt of Ottawa recorded the other goal for the Gaels.

The Gryphons opened the scoring first with Jessica Zerafa of Mississauga, Ont., beating Gaels netminder Mel Dodd-Moher of Stittsville, Ont. at 7:35 of the first period. Small and Tamara Bell of Guelph, Ont., assisted on the lone goal of the first period.

The two teams traded goals in the second period with McNutt notching Queen's first at 6:03 while Small pushed the score to 2-1 at 16:42. That would be the first of three unanswered goals as Jacky Sollis of West Vancouver, B.C., and Jody Hodgins of Stayner, Ont., would tally goals in the third period.

Kench made the game 4-2 when she netted her second of the OUA playoffs on the power play at 12:26. Guelph responded at 18:41 of the third with Patrica Harris of Colborne, Ont. beating Dodd-Mohr to close the scoring at 5-2.

Guelph's offence scored five times on 17 shots while the Gaels offence countered with two goals on 23 shots.

The Guelph Gryphons have to wait to find out who their opponent will be in the OUA Final. The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks have a 1-0 advantage over the Windsor Lancers currently, with Game two of that series scheduled for later this afternoon.

Heading into the series against Guelph, the Gaels were ranked 7th in the country and had registered 41 points and a 19-5-3 record which was good for a second place behind Laurier in the OUA. Its 19 wins were the most in team history and their offence ranked fourth in the nation.

Queen's season ends earning a number of accolades; six Gaels also received provincial recognition with Becky Conroy of Pembroke, Ont. and Alison Bagg of Kingston, Ont. claiming OUA First Team All-Star selections. Kench, who was the OUA scoring leader, earned a second team selection, while Dodd Moher and Morgan McHaffie were named to the OUA All-Rookie Team. # Matt Holmberg# – in his first season with Queen's as Head Coach – garnered OUA Coach of the Year honours.