NORTH YORK, Ont. - A second-half goal for the Golden Hawks was the difference again on Sunday as Laurier battled back to a 1-1 draw against the York Lions at York Alumni Field.

As a result, the Golden Hawks wrapped their season-opening weekend road trip having secured four out of a possible six points.

Coming into Sunday's matinee, the purple and gold had gone winless in the past six head-to-head meetings with York - including two draws last season - but were in good form coming off a win against Brock. 

The Golden Hawks began the game attacking hard and favouring the right wing. 

This seemed to fluster the York defence but it quickly changed when the Lion's offensive line took over. 

York began running a very tight full-pitch press, catching the Golden Hawks off-guard and highlighting a lack of communication between Laurier's defensive and midfield lines. 

The Lions took advantage by peppering rookie keeper Mya Brodrecht with shots and eventually opening the scoring in the 29th minute of play.

To her credit, Brodrecht would settle in to make six saves on seven York shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes.

After York's first-half tally, the Golden Hawks seemed to tighten up and the team became a force. 

The match was a definite battle both in skill and physicality, as both teams drew some major fouls as the game went on. 

Laurier's Taya Johnson and Annick Lariviere and York's Chantal Williams and Paige De Santo were shown yellow cards.

In the 65th minute of play, Johnson made up for her booking by scoring the equalizer - and her first career OUA goal - with a header from a converted corner kick. 

??WSOC - Laurier's Taya Johnson scores in the 65th minute of play to make it a 1-1 game!#SoarAbove I #WLUvsYRK pic.twitter.com/Nato4xROYW

— Laurier Golden Hawks (@WLUAthletics) September 1, 2024

The goal gave the Golden Hawks a push but that was all the scoring either team would do - as Brodrecht denied six more shots on target by the Lions.

Top Performers

Laurier Golden Hawks 
#36 – Mya Brodrecht 
Brodrecht faced almost constant offensive pressure throughout the match. The Lions forced her to stay sharp throughout the entirety of the game, making truly remarkable saves and keeping her team in it.

York Lions 
#6 – Nia Fleming-Thomas 
Fleming-Thomas was an offensive spark plug for the Lions with a goal and three shots on target. The forward was in every play the Lions' offence ran and was a definite pillar for the team in their weaker moments. 

Up Next 

The Golden Hawks (1-0-1) host the Algoma Thunderbirds (0-2) on Sunday, September 8 in their 2024 home opener.

Kick-off at Ansley Alumni Field is at 1 pm and admission is free. Live updates will also be posted at @WLUAthletics on X.