BOX SCORE GUELPH, Ont. (February 20, 2013) -- The No. 7 Queen's Gaels beat the No. 6 Guelph Gryphons 4-2 on Wednesday night in Guelph to take a 1-0 series lead in their OUA semifinal match. The loss marks the first time since November 11 that the Gryphons have suffered a loss.

Mel Dodd-Moher (Stittsville, Ont.) had a strong night between the pipes for Queen's stopping 31 of the Gryphons 33 shots on goal and Morgan McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) scored a goal and added an assist.

The Gaels Brittany McHaffie (Guelph, Ont.) got a chance early as she broke into the slot and fired a shot that was handled well by the Gryphons starting netminder Stephanie Nehring (Oshawa, Ont.). It was Guelph with a great opportunity of their own as the puck sat loose in front of the Gaels net and the Gryphons scrambled to slap it past Gaels starter Dodd-Moher who was able to hold on for a whistle.

Mid-way through the first Shawna Griffin (Calgary) fired a shot through to the net and Allie Biglieri (Toronto) picked up a rebound at the side of the goal and beat Nehring on the short side to give Queen's a 1-0 lead. Kristin Smith (Toronto) added the second assist for the Gaels.

Guelph attempted to respond on a power play but Queen's held off the Gryphon attack heading into the break leading 1-0. Shots finished 8-7 in favour of Guelph in the period.

Only 2:30 into the second Taryn Pilon (Peterborough, Ont.) put the Gaels up 2-0. Pilon fired a shot from the high slot that fooled Nehring as the puck found it's way through the Goaltender and into the Gryphon net. Alisha Sealey (Elora, Ont.) and Brittany McHaffie added the assists.

Guelph took control offensively  and at the 6:18 mark it was Christine Grant (Mississauga, Ont.) whose shot found its way off a Gaels defender and past Dodd-Moher to cut the Gaels lead in half.

Dodd-Moher later had a scare as the Gryphons had a shot that slipped through the pads of the netminder, after looking behind her Dodd-Moher sprawled out on the ice to get a whistle.

The Gryphons looked to even the score late as Jessica Pinkerton (Oshawa, Ont.) got a  partial break but Sealey got a piece of the shot to deflect it over the net. Guelph outshot the Gaels 12-11 in the period.

Penalties were more common in the third period as the Gaels penalty kill unit went to work early in the frame shutting down the Gryphons four on three and five on four power play attempts. The Gryphons returned the favour killing off a four minute Gaels penalty only a few minutes later. Queen's got in penalty trouble once more giving the Gryphons a four minute power play of their own where Guelph was able to capitalize. The puck came to Michelle Sabourin (Pickering, Ont.) in the slot whose wrist shot beat Dodd-Moher to tie the game at 2-2.

Only 30 seconds later the Gaels responded when Mary Coughlin (Amherstburg, Ont.)  took a shot from just off the boards that traveled through a crowd to beat Nehring.

Three minutes after that Brittany McHaffie was knocked down in the slot and her sister Morgan picked up the loose puck and beat Nehring to close out the Gryphons and give Queen's a 4-2 win.

Dodd-Moher picked up her first win of the playoffs stoping 31 shots while Nehring made 20 saves in the loss.

Game two of the best-of-three will take place this Friday night at the Cataraqui Community Centre with puck drop set for 7:30PM as the Gaels will look to close out the series and move on to the OUA Championship.