TORONTO – Senior Lea Dumais of Beaconsfield, Que., scored twice and recorded one assist as the McGill women's hockey team defeated Toronto 5-1 to capture the Old Four Tournament, Saturday, at Thompson Arena in London, Ont.
 
The result marked McGill's ninth consecutive victory over Toronto. These long-time rivals first started playing each other almost a century ago, in 1922. In the post-war era, the Martlets are 15-4-0 against the Varsity Blues, outscoring them 55-19.

McGill and U of T last clashed in the final of the 2018 tourney during which Dumais scored twice in a 4-0 win, which proved to be the Martlets first-ever Old Four tourney title.

Four Martlets found the scoresheet for the second straight night, including the game-winner from alternate captain Jade Downie-Landry of St. Jean, Que., in addition to markers from two British Columbia born natives, namely Cassidy Bell, a senior defenceman from Baldonnel and Nicole Howlett, a fifth-year senior from Delta.
 
Lauren MacDonnell, Toronto's lone scorer, put the Blues ahead at 5:35 of the first but three second-period goals sealed McGill's win.

"It was a rough game. Toronto played very physical," said McGill head coach Peter Smith. "I thought a few more penalties could have been called. But a physical game is good for our development. It is good to play those kinds of games. There's a lot of learning going on and that's what the preseason is all about. The players are really buying into that."

The Varsity Blues took six of eight minor penalties called in the contest. McGill was 1-for-6 on the power-play and erased both shorthanded situations.
 
McGill netminder Trisha Deguire made her season debut and registered a 26-save performance. It was her first contest with the Martlets since returning from a Canadian national team training camp.
 
Blues' goalie Madeline Albert made 34 saves and took the loss. Toronto (2-1) will face York on Sept. 29.

McGill (4-0) returns home to preseason action at McConnell Arena on Friday, Sept. 27 against Bishop's. It will be the first season at the varsity level for the Gaiters, who have played as a a junior varsity club for many years and are now slated to play an independent, exhibition season prior to joining the RSEQ conference in 2020-21. BU is 0-1 against university teams after dropping a 1-0 decision to Moncton on Sept. 16.

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