WINDSOR, Ont. - The Laurier Golden Hawks women's soccer team is moving on to the OUA quarterfinals after a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Windsor Lancers in Wednesday's first-round playoff matchup at Alumni Field in Windsor.
Laurier came out strong in the opening half, setting the tone early with composed ball movement and offensive pressure.
Their efforts paid off in the 22nd minute when
Stephanie Geady opened the scoring, finishing off a rebound after Windsor goalkeeper Izzy Barrette stopped
Kayla Merkley's initial shot.
Laurier maintained possession for much of the first half, controlling the tempo while also fending off several Windsor set pieces.
The intensity picked up as halftime approached, with both teams committing multiple fouls, but Laurier held firm to take a 1-0 lead into the break.
The second half saw emotions rise as Windsor pushed back aggressively, turning the contest into a more physical affair.
Laurier's
Sasha Marikano received the first yellow card of the match in the 52nd minute, moments before Windsor's Kailyn Robertson equalized with a long-range strike that deflected off the crossbar and in, tying the game at 1-1.
Marikano redeemed herself in the 73rd minute with a brilliant left-footed shot that hit the top corner of the net, reclaiming Laurier's lead for good.
Laurier's defence, anchored by goalkeeper
Mya Brodrecht stood tall for the remainder of the match, finishing with several key saves to preserve the win.Â
As the final whistle blew, the Golden Hawks secured their 2-1 victory and punched their ticket to the OUA quarterfinals. It's the second time in the past three seasons that Laurier have defeated Windsor in the first round of the OUA playoffs.Â
The Golden Hawks will now face the OUA West division's #1-seeded Guelph Gryphons.
The last time the two teams met in the postseason was another quarterfinal match-up in 2017, which Guelph won 5-0 on its campus.
Laurier is looking to advance to its first OUA semifinal since 2015.
Up Next:
The Golden Hawks will take on the Gryphons at Gryphon Soccer Complex in Guelph on Saturday, October 18th, 2025. Kick-off is at 1pm.
