SUDBURY, Ont. - It was tense as they come, but the Laurier Golden Hawks men's curling team advanced to the 2023 U SPORTS/Curling Canada University Championship final after defeating the Queen's Gaels 12-10 on Sunday morning.
In complete control leading 8-3 after seven ends, the Gaels stunned the Golden Hawks with a six-point eighth to take a 9-8 lead before getting a steal of one in the ninth to double their advantage.
Needing at least two to tie and force extra ends while holding hammer, the Laurier rink of skip
Sam Mooibroek, second
Wyatt Small, third
Kibo Mulima, and lead
Ben Pearce supported by alternate
Codie Harris were remarkably unfazed. Facing a takeout call on the final stone, Mooibroek converted it to perfection, giving Laurier four in the end to complete the dramatic comeback.Â
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This year's team will now try to make it back-to-back national championship wins, with the program, led by head coach
Matt Wilkinson, having won the previous edition in 2020 before the next two years were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It will also be a rematch of that previous final, as the Dalhousie Tigers advanced after also sneaking by the hosts from Laurentian, 5-4.
A win would give Laurier an unprecedented fourth national title in men's program history. They are currently tied with the University of Alberta, having won it three times since the championship became a CIS/U SPORTS-sanctioned event in 2008.
The start time of the gold medal final is set for 2:30 PM. No live stream will be available, but follow @WLUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram for live scoring updates.
