GUELPH – The Guelph Gryphons women's soccer team has been mired in a scoring slump at absolutely the wrong time. But with the season winding down, the Gryphons broke out of the drought in convincing fashion. Guelph scored early and often in a 3-0 defeat of the visiting McMaster Marauders on a cold night at the Gryphon Soccer Complex.

Guelph had been kept off the scoresheet for its three previous matches, the only consolation being a point from a 0-0 draw against Laurier 10 days ago. But Katya Tarasoff, Victoria Hinchliffe and Alana MacLean all found the back of the net in the first half, in what was easily the Gryphons' best 45 minutes of action in a while.

The goals were a relief to both the side and coach Shayne Campbell.

"For us, it's really important," he said of the performance. "You work on these things all the time in training and sometimes it doesn't go your way and you can't lose track of the process and what you're trying to do.

"We worked really hard for the last few weeks and things went the right way today. We created some real good opportunities and we finished them. It's a real credit to the team."

Guelph (8-3-2) was dominant in the opening 45 minutes, scoring early and then adding two more with halftime approaching. Tarasoff got things rolling for the Gryphons in just the sixth minute, the first goal of her OUA career. The rookie midfielder from Guelph curled in a long free kick from well outside the area that bounced past Marauders' goalkeeper Deanna Persico for an early 1-0 lead.
 

Neither team created clear chances for a period but later in the half, Guelph defended a McMaster attack well and transitioned into a counter. Hinchliffe, the reigning OUA Rookie of the Year, would spin around a defender and make no mistake on a breakaway in the 40^th minute to notch her second goal of the season. And right before the halftime whistle, MacLean added a dagger third that would help the Gryphons secure three more points, while snapping a run of disappointing results. Hinchliffe saved a through ball from going beyond the end line and sent in a great ball that MacLean would control and slot low.

Campbell praised the commitment of his players, particularly the defensive approach, which he considers a cornerstone of the program.

"That was the difference tonight," he said. "Our players were committed to a cause tonight, they were committed to working as hard as they could as a team."

Brooke Davidson got just her second OUA start in net and had to make four saves for her first clean sheet. She was crisp, particularly in the second half when McMaster attacked to get back into the match.

"She's a brilliant goalkeeper and I thought that when they came out in the second half, they had us under pressure," said Campbell. "Brooke made some key saves on their corner kicks where she controlled the ball and did a really good job.

Guelph is second in the conference in goals conceded with just four, behind only Western's league-best two.

The Gryphons head to Waterloo Wednesday, Oct. 18 to face the Warriors.