WATERLOO, Ont. - With the Golden Hawks already having secured an OUA playoff spot before their match against the Waterloo on Friday, the Warriors still managed to spoil the good vibes with a 1-0 win over the purple and gold at Warrior Field.

The match was quick-paced, aggressive, and very evenly matched.

From the opening whistle, the intensity was high, with both teams trading possession (and elbows) as they fought to control the pace of play. 

The Warriors had the first scoring opportunity in the 15th minute, followed by another chance in the 24th. 

Laurier countered later in the half with shots in the 34th and 38th minutes of play. At the end of the first half, the game remained scoreless.

Laurier started the second half with a clear desire to secure three points. The Golden Hawks began attacking hard and dominated offensive possession.

Unfortunately, all the luck went Waterloo's way when they buried the ball in the Laurier net in the 60th minute. Fortunately, the linesman's flag was raised for offside. 

The back-and-forth play continued throughout most of the second half until Waterloo finally opened the scoring in the 77th minute, thanks to Nic Noblecilla. That would stand as the game-winner, as Laurier dropped 4-6-1 heading into their regular season finale against the Windsor Lancers.

With Laurier unable to climb any further in the standings, they will be on the road as the #6 playoff seed in the West division and will play at either Guelph, Western, or McMaster on October 25 (time is TBD).

Top Performers

Waterloo Warriors
Kevin Espiro
Espiro seemed to be an attacking force on the pitch. With unmatched speed and a powerful shot, Espiro was a menace, challenging the Golden Hawks' defensive line.

Laurier Golden Hawks
Andra Neptune
Laurier's captain showed his ability to read the field and communicate with his teammates, sliding in and out of passing lanes and offensive zones seamlessly. Neptune played the match as a traditional defender but was also able to get multiple shots on goal.

Up Next

The Golden Hawks will wrap up the regular season on Sunday in Windsor against the Lancers at 3:15 p.m. Follow along on X (formerly Twitter) or watch the game live on OUA.tv