The York University Lions women's hockey team came back from two goals down but ultimately fell in a shootout by a score of 4-3 to the Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday afternoon at Canlan Ice Sports.
 
The Varsity Blues scored three unanswered goals in a 12-minute span in the second period to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 advantage. But the Lions got one back before the period was over and another in the third to push the game past regulation.
 
It didn't take long for the Lions to find the back of the net as Steffei Samuel (Markham, Ont.) scored just 30 seconds in for an early 1-0 lead. Her goal would prove to be the only one of the first period.
 
The Varsity Blues returned the favour in the second period when Meagan O'Brien equalled the score at 1-1 only 39 seconds into the frame. Kristi Riseley added another on a power play at 8:57 and Taylor Day scored three minutes later to give the Blues a two-goal advantage, but York rookie defender Taylor Davison (Oakville, Ont.) scored her second goal in as many games at 15:02 to cut the lead to 3-2 heading into the final period.
 
Less than four minutes into the third Rianna Langford (Collingwood, Ont.) tied the game, and it would be the only goal of the period as the game headed into overtime.
 
Two overtime periods solved nothing, and Langford scored again in the first round of the shootout. She was the only York player to score, however, while Riseley and Day both tallied for the Blues for the extra point.
 
The Lions earned a point in the game and are now 2-1-6-4 on the season, while the Varsity Blues improved to 5-1-4-0 with the victory.
 
Saturday's game was the team's last of the fall semester and the Lions are now off until January. They will return to OUA action on Saturday, Jan. 7 with a game against the Waterloo Warriors at Canlan Ice Sports beginning at 2pm.