SUDBURY, Ont. – The Laurentian Voyageurs escaped with three points on Sunday afternoon as they held on for a 3-2 victory over the UOIT women's hockey team in Sudbury.
 
UOIT returns to Oshawa with one point this weekend, after taking the Nipissing Lakers to a shootout on Saturday. If the Ridgebacks look to stay in the hunt for a spot in the playoffs, they will need to make up some ground as they sit in tenth place, five points out of a postseason berth.
 
Defender Jillian Banks (Barrie, Ont.) recorded her first career OUA goal, giving the Ridgebacks a 1-0 lead midway through the second period. Thirty seconds later, Laurentian scored to even it up as veteran Samantha Morell scored her eighth of the year.
 
In the third period, Laurentian scored back-to-back goals less than a minute apart, including a shorthanded marker by Marie-Pierre Pelissou of Montreal.
 
The Ridgebacks peppered the net with shots down the stretch and were rewarded as Chelsea Ball (Maple, Ont.) cut the lead to 3-2. However, UOIT failed to convert a third time as the Voyageurs picked up all three points. Ball has three goals and an assist over her last three conference games.
 
Oshawa native Shanna Dolighan was impressive in goal for Laurentian stopping 31 of 33 Ridgeback shots on goals. Briar Hughes (Thornton, Ont.) suffered the loss, making a season high 32 stops.
 
UOIT will close out their road trip next Friday night in Toronto, before returning home to take on the U SPORTS ranked Brock Badgers on Saturday, Jan. 13. Game time at the Campus Ice Centre is 3:30 p.m.
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE RIDGEBACKS
Overall Record: 5-14-2
Conference Record: 5-7-2
 
Next Game: Jan. 12 @ Toronto (7 PM – Toronto, Ont.)