WATERLOO, Ont. - The long-standing rivalry between Laurier and the Waterloo Warriors continued in an intense and action-packed Battle of Waterloo derby on Friday evening.
The first half was marked by high intensity and aggression, with both teams pressing hard to gain control of the match.
Laurier had the upper hand early, pushing the Warriors' defence with several shots on goal, but despite their offensive efforts, the Golden Hawks could not find the back of the net.
The Golden Hawks' back line also held strong with goalkeeper Mya Brodrecht also making a crucial save to keep things scoreless at halftime.
In the second half, fans at Ansley Alumni Field witnessed a surge in energy as both teams fought for control of the ball.
Laurier's coordination and aggressive play finally paid off in the opening minute when OUA Athlete of the Week Samantha Murphy delivered a precise assist to Sasha Marikano, who found the back of the net to give the Golden Hawks a 1-0 lead.
The goal came after Marikano missed the team's last match against Algoma due to a minor foot ankle injury.
Waterloo responded just 13 minutes later, however, with a goal from Aya Naamani setting the stage for a heated final stretch.
Waterloo's momentum continued in the 65th minute as Paige Heide scored off an assist from Priyanka Chakravarti, putting the Warriors up 2-1 and flipping the script on Laurier.
The Golden Hawks, however, were not done. Rookie Mia Aguiar came through in the clutch as the second-half substitute delivered a game-tying goal in the 77th minute, making it 2-2.
That scoreline would stand until the game's final whistle.
After the match, Laurier second-year defender Tamara Lisser gave lots of praise to Aguiar for helping the team secure a draw and a point.
"Mia came out and impacted the game when she scored the game-tying goal," Lisser said. "It was amazing to see a rookie come out like that, and it was truly a defining moment in the game."
Up Next
The second half of the home-and-home Battle of Waterloo derby between the Golden Hawks (2-0-2) and Waterloo Warriors (0-3-2) is set for Sunday, September 15, at Warrior Field.
Kick-off is at 1:00 pm.
