Dundas Valley Gryphons girls hockey team prepares for semifinal challenge

Dundas Valley Gryphons' Jenna Christiansen gets the puck past Ancaster Royals' defence during girls public high school hockey play on Tuesday, Feb. 13. Dundas Valley once again put plenty of pressure on an opponent, but this time failed to come up with a goal - losing 2-0 on a first period goal, and a empty-netter in the final five seconds of play after the Gryphons pulled their goalie in favour of an extra skater.

Dundas Valley Gryphons girls hockey team ended its regular season with a 3-1 loss to Waterdown, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board's top team in Division 1.

Only four public high school teams — Dundas Valley, Waterdown, Saltfleet and Ancaster — qualified to play in the board's sole competitive hockey league for girls. Dundas joined the league last season for the first time.

The Wednesday, Feb. 14 loss marked Dundas Valley's sixth in six games this season, but four of those losses came by just one goal, including two 3-2 games with Saltfleet and a 4-3 squeaker with Ancaster.

"Considering we only had 10 skaters, we were pleased with the performance." 
Coach Bob Gardiner

Waterdown ended the regular season with five wins and one loss, outscoring opponents 23-7 in 11 games.

On Tuesday, Feb. 13, the Gryphons fell 2-0 to Ancaster, but the Royals' second goal came on an empty net with less than five seconds left in the game.

Ancaster goalie Bella Gerritsen stood up to plenty of Dundas Valley pressure throughout the game and jumped on, or cleared, several loose pucks in front of her net before Gryphons forwards had a chance to pop them into the net.

Less than five minutes into the first 12-minute period Tuesday, Ancaster's Briahna Allan scored for a 1-0 lead.

From there on for most of the next two and a half periods, Gerritsen and Dundas goalie Jane Gowland held back all offence as the rest of the game remained scoreless until Gowland was pulled for an extra attacker in the final minute.

Looking for the tying goal, Dundas Valley put plenty of pressure on Gerritsen. But with less than five seconds left, Ancaster was able to clear the puck and Hannah Smith directed it into the empty net.

Gardiner said semifinal match ups were scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 22, and Dundas Valley was expected to meet first place Waterdown.