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Laurier Athletics - Waterloo Campus

Kibo Mulima sweeps a shot against the Queen's Gaels at the 2023 U SPORTS/Curling Canada University Championship.
Dan Polischuk

Men's Curling Dan Polischuk

Golden Hawks advance to national final after dramatic last-shot win

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. 
 
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.
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Players Mentioned

Codie Harris

Codie Harris

Vice
5' 10"
4th Year
2
Sam Mooibroek

Sam Mooibroek

Skip
5' 11"
2nd Year
2
Kibo Mulima

Kibo Mulima

Vice
6' 1"
2nd Year
2
Ben Pearce

Ben Pearce

Lead
6' 2"
4th Year
2
Wyatt Small

Wyatt Small

Second
6' 3"
1st Year
2

Players Mentioned

Codie Harris

Codie Harris

5' 10"
4th Year
2
Vice
Sam Mooibroek

Sam Mooibroek

5' 11"
2nd Year
2
Skip
Kibo Mulima

Kibo Mulima

6' 1"
2nd Year
2
Vice
Ben Pearce

Ben Pearce

6' 2"
4th Year
2
Lead
Wyatt Small

Wyatt Small

6' 3"
1st Year
2
Second