Kingston, ON – Despite a spirited effort and dominant stretches of play, the Queen's Gaels Womens Hockey Team came up just short, falling 3-2 to the Waterloo Warriors in a thrilling Saturday afternoon matchup at the Memorial Centre. The Gaels, fresh off an overtime duel with Laurier last night, brought intensity and grit to their home ice but couldn't close the gap in the final minutes.

The game's first period saw the Gaels generate quality scoring chances, testing Waterloo's defense early and often. However, it was the Warriors who struck first, with Erika Porter finding the net at 7:10. Queen's, undeterred, responded with a surge of energy, pushing back with a relentless forecheck and tight defensive plays that kept the Warriors on their heels.

The Gaels' breakthrough came in the second period. At 5:22, forward Alyson Reeves (Commerce) slipped past Waterloo's defenders and buried a shot, tying the game with assists from Rebecca Thompson (Environmental Science) and Kelsey Dunn (Kinesiology). Less than two minutes later, Queen's took the lead with a breakaway from Taya Leonard (Kinesiology), who rifled went top shelf for her first of the season.

Despite the Gaels' momentum, Waterloo took advantage of a Queen's penalty midway through the second, with Porter adding her second goal of the night on the power play. The Gaels continued to press and outshot the Warriors in the period, displaying solid puck control and tight defensive coverage that kept Waterloo in check.

The final period saw Queen's push hard to break the tie, though it was the Warriors who managed to go ahead. Leah Herrfort scored at 2:33 to put Waterloo back in the lead. Queen's goaltender Emma Tennant (Mechanical Engineering) made a series of huge saves down the stretch, keeping the Gaels within reach and energizing the defensive effort as Queen's held Waterloo scoreless for the remainder of the game.

Queen's fought until the final buzzer, sustaining pressure in the offensive zone and outshooting Waterloo 32-27. However, the Warriors' defense held firm, narrowly sealing the 3-2 win. With the Gaels now holding a 1-4 record, they look to regroup and find answers to break through for another win.

Queen's returns to Memorial Centre on Friday, November 1st, for a 7:30 PM clash against the Western Mustangs. Fans can stream the game live on OUA.tv, and tickets are available at gogaelsgo.com.