PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. (March 11, 2020) – The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks men's and women's curling teams opened the 2020 U SPORTS/Curling Canada University Championships facing familiar foes from the OUA.

The men opened day one taking on the Guelph Gryphons; their last meeting was February 17 in the semi-finals of the OUA Championships, which the Hawks won 5-3. Tonight in Manitoba was a similar story. 

The Hawks jumped out to an early lead thanks to three points in the second end and a single steal in the third. They would go into the break with the lead 5-2. After alternating two point ends in the sixth and seventh, Laurier came up big in the ninth scoring three which led to the 10-5 final. 

Laurier's men's team will be back in action tomorrow, Thursday, March 12 at 1:30 p.m. EST when they take on the Memorial Sea-Hawks (0-1). 

On the women's side, the Golden Hawks dropped their first game of the week to the OUA silver medalists, Queen's Gaels. Skipped by world junior champion Mary Fay, the Gael's got on the board first, scoring one in the second end. The Golden Hawks were unable to score until the fourth, thanks to a nice clear from rookie vice Isabelle Fahl (Rosthern, Sask.) that set up an opening for rookie skip, Isabelle Ladoucer (Bedford, N.S.). 

The purple and gold would steal one in the fifth to put them up 2-1 heading into the break. But the Gaels came out strong and would go on to tie things up in the sixth before scoring two in the eighth and tenth to secure the 6-4 win. 

The women open day two of the U SPORTS/Curling Canada University Championships on Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. EST against the Regina Cougars (0-1). 

Follow along all week on @WLUathletics on Twitter or live stats here.