Last weekend, the Golden Hawks travelled to Oshawa to compete against five other university ringette teams in their first tournament of the year. Even though this was their first time competing together as a team, the Hawks came out strong with two wins and two losses in the round robin and advanced to the semi-finals. 

Laurier had an exciting opening game against Trent that set the tone for the rest of the weekend. With six goals from five different players, and a shutout from second year goalie Emma Stewart, the Hawks played strong at both ends of the ice to secure the win. 

In their second game on Friday, Laurier fell short to the Carleton Ravens in a 6-4 score. Although it ended with a loss, the team exhibited immense heart and perseverance by scoring three goals in the fourth period of the game. This aided in securing their spot in the semi-final game, by maintaining a positive goal differential. They look forward to facing the Ravens again in future tournaments for more hard-fought games.

The Golden Hawks once again exhibited their grit and determination in their game against the round-robin's first ranked team, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees. This game was exciting to the end with Laurier pulling their goalie for the last few minutes of the game for a player-advantage. Although they fell short in a 4-3 loss, their effort was phenomenal, and spirits were high. 

Going into their last round-robin game, the Hawks knew the undefeated Nipissing Lakers would present a tough challenge. Laurier came out strong for a 7-5 win with a hat-trick from second year Captain, Caroline Routledge, to secure their place in a semi-final game. 

In semi-finals, Laurier faced the Gee-Gees once again. With another game full of persistence and tenacity, the Hawks lost 4-1 and finished fourth in the tournament. The Gee-Gees ended up finishing first with a 10-1 win over Nipissing in the finals.

Regardless of the outcome, the Hawks played hard all weekend and exhibited an impressive ability to support each other and unite as a team. They are excited for their next competition, the University Challenge Cup in Ottawa, over winter break! 

If you're interested in supporting the club, you can make a donation through the Adopt A Hawk program.

Written by Calia Brazeau and Sarah Oozeer
Photos by Sarah Oozeer and Emma McIntosh