ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - In a gritty display of skill and determination, the Laurier Golden Hawks clashed with the Brock Badgers at Alumni Field in St. Catharines on Saturday afternoon, emerging victorious by a final score of 1-0.

The match unfolded intensely but the defining moment arrived at the 14:32 mark, courtesy of Laurier's Sam Ghouli, who delivered a precise strike that found the back of the net for his third goal of the young season.

Ghouli's clinical finish proved to be the decisive blow, setting the tone for the remainder of the contest.

The showdown was marked by its physicality, as both teams fought fiercely for control of the pitch. The referee's whistle souned frequently, with a total of five yellow cards brandished to the Brock side. Matters took a more severe turn for the home side as they were reduced to ten men following a red card in the 89th minute.

Laurier's Adriano Colangelo and Liam D'Ulisse found themselves in the referee's notebook as well, each receiving a caution for their contributions to the heated contest.

With this hard-fought victory, Laurier's record now stands at an impressive 3-1-1 for the season, having won three games in a row. Having to contend with just one Brock shot on target, first-year goalkeeper David Carano also recorded his first career OUA clean sheet in just his third match with the Golden Hawks.

The Golden Hawks will return to Alumni Field in Waterloo for a rematch against the Brock Badgers at 3:15 pm on Sunday. Follow @WLUAthletics on X for live updates.