Winnipeg, MB- On Saturday, December 3, the #7 University of Manitoba Bisons women's hockey team fell to the Mount Royal Cougars by a score of 5-3, at the Wayne Fleming Arena in the last game of the first half. 

With the loss, the Bisons fall to 8-4-3-1, and the Cougars improve to 5-9-0-2 in Canada West division play.

Mount Royal, Gabrielle Seper, scored on a penalty shot at 14:32 of the third, which would be the turning point and eventual game-winner of the afternoon. Both the Bisons and Cougars will have a month long break before starting up again in January. 

"We needed to play a full 60-minutes and I don't think we did that today," said assistant coach Sean Fisher. "We have been going hard, and need the rest as much as any team in this conference, more mentally than physically. 

Manitoba found themselves playing catch-up for a majority of the game this afternoon, and were unable to put together a full game to get the home win. 

Both teams came out flying in the first period, but Mount Royal opened the score at 7:04 with a low shot by Devonie Deschamps that went off a Bisons' skate and in. Rachel Piitz and Sarah Weninger both got assists on the goal. The Bisons dominated for the remainder of the first. Bison, Jordyn Zacharias, scored her fifth of the year on a turnover by the Cougars at 17:46 of the first making it 1-1. 

Mairi Sorensen of the visitors scored her first of the season, with a bullet from the point at 17:07 of the second; Megan Carver racked in an assist on the goal. Penalties didn't come as a rarity in the second period. Deschamps of Mount Royal, took a body-checking penalty at 14:10. Cougar, Tianna Ko, took a two-minute minor for closing her hand on the puck at 17:07. The Herd were unable to capitalize, making them 0-2 on the powerplay this afternoon. The Bison's found themselves in a bit of penalty trouble as well. At 19:02, Alexandra Anderson of the Herd went to the box for body-checking making it four-on-four. 38 seconds later, Caitlin Fyten took a tripping penalty, giving the crowd some four-on-three hockey. 

The visitors were able to capitalize on the five-on-three powerplay at :54 of the third with a shot from Weninger, giving her two points on the day. Sorensen and Shawni Rodeback got the assists. Bisons came back to life, making it a one-goal game at 3:20 on a pass from Charity Price and a hard drive down the right wing by Venla Hovi going short side. The Herd went to the powerplay at 7:11 of the third, with Deschamps taking a bodychecking minor. Anderson scored her second powerplay goal of the year on a low shot tying the game at three, with assists from Lauryn Keen and Hovi. Seper scored on a penalty shot on Amanda Schubert, giving them the lead at 14:32 of the third. Manitoba pulled Schubert with 1:39 remaining, gaining the extra attacker. Cougars scored an open-net goal a 19:57 by Ko, making the final score 5-3. 

Mount Royal's goaltender, Zoe DeBeauville, got her third win of the year, stopping 31 shots in the win while Amanda Schubert suffers her second loss of the season.  

Today's game concluded the first half of the season for both teams. The league will start up again on Jan. 6, 2017.