For the first time since 2018, the Queen's Gaels are Women's Lacrosse OUA champions.

Behind a six-goal performance from 2022 OUA most valuable offensive player, Jaedyn Smail, the Gaels took down the Trent Excalibur 16-5 Sunday afternoon, avenging last year's gold medal defeat and simultaneously putting an end to Trent's hopes of a three-peat.

Although the final score may dictate otherwise, it was the Excalibur getting off to a great start. On the strength of three first quarter goals from Mackenzie Manuliak,
Trent was able to take a 4-2 lead after one.

From there, a Grace Shaunessy early in the second extended the Excalibur lead to 5-2 and seemingly put all momentum in favour of the two-time defending champions. However, the Gaels had other ideas.

From that point on, Queen's would not surrender another goal the rest of the game while also scoring plenty of their own. Two second quarter goals from Tara Meikle, along with singles from Abby Lee, Charlotte Sawicki and Smail, very quickly put Queen's ahead 7-5 after 30 minutes of play.

Making sure they were leaving with a medal to match their uniform, the Gaels kept the pressure on Trent the entire second half, without letting up at all.

Queen's rolled through the third quarter outscoring the Excalibur 6-0 as they lead grew to eight. Already with one goal in the game, Smail went on a tear in the third scoring four of Queen's six goals.

Making sure the Excalibur would have no thoughts of a comeback, the Gaels fired home three more goals in the fourth, including Smail's sixth of the game, along with markers from Brooke Rutledge and Christina Holmes.

The victory marks Queen's fourth Patterson Cup.