The York University Lions field hockey team will not get the chance to defend its OUA title on Sunday after falling in the semifinals by a 2-1 score to the Toronto Varsity Blues.
 
The Lions entered the championship tournament as the two-time defending champions but were seeded third this year, just behind the Varsity Blues after finishing three points back in the regular-season standings. The Blues advanced to the gold-medal match for the first time since 2016 with the win, while the Lions will battle for bronze.
 
On Saturday, it was the Lions who got on the board first when rookie Lexi Hannah scored her second goal of the weekend less than seven minutes into the game. The lead was short-lived, however, as Toronto's Hilary Ziraldo evened the score at 1-1 eight minutes later.
 
The Blues got the eventual winner in the 21^st minute off the stick of Emily Ziraldo and carried the 2-1 lead into the half.
 
The second half was not nearly as eventful as the Blues smothered the Lions defensively to prevent the defending champs from finding the equalizer. The tactic worked as Toronto held on to their lead through the final whistle.
 
The Blues will face another rival in the gold-medal match in the host Guelph Gryphons, who defeated the Waterloo Warriors 7-2 in the other semifinal. The Gryphons last won the title in 2013 and have reached the final in every year since, winning five straight silver medals.
 
The Lions will play for their third straight OUA medal on Sunday against the Warriors in a battle for bronze beginning at 1pm in Guelph, Ont.