Host Mounties top defending AUS champion Panthers 2-1

(SACKVILLE, N.B.) - Meghan Corley-Byrne put on a show for the home fans as the host Mount Allison Mounties defeated the reigning AUS champion UPEI Panthers 2-1 in Game 4 of the 2013 Subway AUS women's hockey championship.

The fifth-year goaltender stopped 42 shots in goal in her final game for the Mounties, several of them of the spectacular variety, as the Panthers peppered her with all kinds of shots throughout the game, including 16 shots each in the second and third periods.

Two-time AUS most sportmanlike player Ashlyn Somers, on a 5-on-3 power-play, and Lauren Oickle scored for the Mounties, while Keirstin Visser responded with the Panthers' lone goal.

Somers' goal came in the first period on a rebound opportunity in front of Marie-Soleil Deschenes, while Visser, named a first team AUS all-star earlier in the day, tied the game up in the second on a high shot that beat Corley-Byrne through a screen.

Oickle gave the Mounties the lead in the third period with a cannon of a shot that found the top corner over Deschenes' shoulder, and the Mounties clung onto the one-goal advantage for the duration of the third, thanks in large part to a number of great saves down the stretch by Corley-Byrne.

Deschenes made 24 saves for UPEI, while Visser was named the Subway player of the game for the Panthers thanks to her goal and nine shots on goal.

The highlight of the night came in the second period, when Corley-Byrne made an outstanding sliding save on a 3-on-0 rush by UPEI. Corley-Byrne was named the Mount Allison Subway player of the game for the second night in a row.

Mathematically, the Mounties cannot advance to the Championship game by virtue of a 3-1 loss to StFX in Game 2 of the tournament. Their goal differential of minus-1 will not allow them to move on to Sunday's game, as StFX and UPEI will play tomorrow evening at 6:00pm.

For UPEI to advance, they will need to defeat the CIS No. 5-ranked X-Women in regulation by two goals or more.

The 2013 Subway AUS women's hockey championship resumes Saturday at 3:00pm when the Saint Thomas Tommies take on the Saint Mary's Huskies in a 'win and you're in' game at the Tantramar Civic Centre.

The winner will win their pool and advance to the Subway AUS women's hockey championship final Sunday afternoon at 4:00pm.

All games of the tournament are available via live webcast at www.AUStv.ca.

Source: Mount Allison Sports Information
Photo Courtesy of Tom Reid Photography (http://www.tomreidphotography.com/)