WATERLOO – If the Guelph Gryphons women's soccer team makes a strong run in the OUA this season, they will undoubtedly look back at results from the first eight days as a key contributor. Four away matches, points in all of them, and not a single goal conceded. The Gryphons capped off their grueling opening road stretch with a decisive 3-0 win over the Laurier Golden Hawks Saturday afternoon at University Stadium.

Christina Woloszczuk, Hayley Howes and Venessa Mazur had the goals for Guelph (3-0-1), which has reeled off three straight wins, all clean sheets, after drawing 0-0 in Windsor last Friday. The side has banked 10 of a possible 12 points and sit atop the OUA West.

The Gryphons have been a disciplined group at their end of the pitch in those road matches and relied on goals well into the second half to pull out back-to-back 1-0 victories at Western and at York. Against Laurier, Guelph was on the front foot from the get go.

"Our goal was to create more offensive chances," said coach Shayne Campbell. "We hadn't done that too much in previous games so we wanted to get forward and have some looks at goal.

"Laurier is always a good footballing team and we're aware they have some dangerous players. We had to be strong centrally and force them to defend by putting pressure on their backline."

The visitors opened the scoring with some good combination play down the right flank in the 23rd minute. Midfielder Megan Sullivan made a run and crossed the ball into the area for Woloszczuk to tap in.

The Gryphons kept up the pressure and tallied again moments before the half as Howes notched her second of the season. The third-year Windsor, ON native finished a squared ball from Katya Tarasoff after a good build up.  

They would add another in the 58th minute as Mazur, a first-year player, poked in a loose ball for the first goal of her OUA career.

Goalkeeper Libby Brenneman was reliable again in recording her fourth clean sheet in four appearances. The fourth-year Criminal Justice major from Baden, ON saved a penalty late in the match, diving right to parry the ball away.

She also had some good fortune as two Laurier attempts rang off her crossbar.

"We're very happy with the clean sheet," said Campbell, who was pleased with the opening week but aware Guelph's work is just beginning.

The Gryphons finally play on their own pitch when they face the Brock Badgers Friday, Sept. 8 in the home opener at the Gryphon Soccer Complex. Match time is 6pm.