TORONTO, Ont. – The Golden Hawks took to the road for the final time in 2023 Wednesday night to take on the tenth-ranked TMU Bold for the first time this season. In a very intense, low-scoring, back-and-forth game, the Golden Hawks fell short 66-55.

The Golden Hawks came out hot and dominated the first couple minutes of play with a mini 5-0 run. However, the Bold quickly settled in and caught the Golden Hawks, taking over the lead around the five-minute mark and holding on to it for the rest of the quarter.

The second quarter began with Miranda Campbell - who seemed to be acting as a spark plug of sorts for the Golden Hawks - opening the scoring early on. Cassidy Hirtle and Maddy White both also put points on the board, making the score at the end of the second 30-25 for the Bold.

The third quarter was the highest-scoring one for the Bold, as they went on two high-scoring runs in the latter half of the frame, creating a significant gap between themselves and the Golden Hawks. 

Part of the reason the Bold were so successful in this quarter was due to their high-pressure full-court press defence, which led to nine of their 25 points in the quarter coming off turnovers. They also posted double-digit scoring totals in the paint.

The fourth quarter saw the Golden Hawks match their highest points total in a quarter, outscoring the Bold 15-11. Hirtle recorded five of her game-high 20 points in the homestretch. It's the third time this season that the Sarnia, Ont. native has recorded 20 or more points this season.

Campbell, the reigning Laurier Athlete of the Week, posted a strong stat line again with 14 points, a team-high seven rebounds, and four assists.

Forward Janet Enge also finished with 10 points and six rebounds in just 16 minutes of floor time.

Despite their best efforts, the Golden Hawks dropped to 5-4 on the season, good for fourth place in the six-team OUA West. 

Top Performers

Laurier Golden Hawks
Cassidy Hirtle
Hirtle always puts on a strong performance. During a team-high 34 minutes of play in Wednesday's game, she consistently drove hard to the net and found ways to put points on the board. 

TMU Bold
Catrina Garvey
First-year player Catrina Garvey was a pillar of the Bold's offence and defence. She made solid plays and hustled the length of the court constantly. Putting up 17 points and grabbing 5 rebounds, she put in a performance.

Up Next
Laurier will aim to lock down a victory in their final game before the fall exam break Saturday night against the Brock Badgers (4-3). Tip-off at the AC Gym is set for 6 pm and tickets are on sale now!

If you can't make it to the game, catch the action live on OUA.tv or follow along on X (formerly Twitter) at @WLUAthletics.