The Golden Jets senior women’s team had made it into the top group for second round play at the first NCL tournament on the strength of two wins on Friday in Pool B.
Joining the Calgary Renegades (winner of Pool C) and Montreal CAMO (winner of Pool A), the Jets were playing to decide whether they would play for first or third place on Sunday.
The Saturday morning game at the Pan Am pool in Scarborough saw Toronto take on the reigning national champion Renegades in a rematch of the national championship final last May in Gatineau, Quebec.
Things started badly for the home side as the visitors leapt out to a 5-1 first quarter lead. Calgary extended its lead to six goals in the second quarter with a 5-3 advantage.
The Jets fought back in the third to keep the deficit at six thanks to a 2-2 tie. However, with head coach Evan Price electing to use everyone on the bench, the floodgates opened and the Renegades rang up a 7-1 fourth quarter en route to an easy 19-7 win.
Josie Andrist and Hannah Levin each popped in a pair of goals. Tyanna Supreme, Christi Bardecki and Devon Lynch added singles.
The afternoon match would decide who would face Calgary in the final on Sunday as the Renegades had already advanced thanks to a 18-8 victory over CAMO earlier in the day. Toronto had to win while CAMO only needed a tie due to goal differential versus Calgary.
The Jets edged out in front 4-3 after the initial quarter of play and added a 3-1 second quarter to carry a 7-4 advantage into the second half.
CAMO pulled back to within one with a 5-3 third quarter and the teams entered the final frame with the Jets ahead 10-9.
In the fourth, CAMO tied things up 10-10. The Jets then responded with two strikes to lead 12-10 with three and a half minutes to go.
Montreal was not to be denied and scored twice within forty-four seconds to draw even. After Price called a time out, the Jets responded with a go-ahead goal with 1:15 remaining. CAMO then called its final timeout and converted fourteen seconds later to again tie things up. The teams then missed their final attacks resulting in a 13-13 tie.
Andrist paced the Jets offence with a hattrick. Sarah August, Leanne Bolstad, Levin and Lynch all scored twice while Ava Stimson and Supreme netted singles.
Goalie Grace Bobyk went all the way in net and had her best game of the tournament.
The Jets will face Laval Touski for third place.