HAMILTON, Ont. - The Laurier Golden Hawks men's soccer team dropped a tough match to the McMaster Marauders, falling 3–0 on Friday night at Ron Joyce Stadium in Hamilton.

McMaster pressed early and kept Laurier pinned in their own half, eventually capitalizing in the opening minutes.

Off a set piece in the fifth minute, the Marauders created a scramble inside the box, and Karl Espiro finished the chance to give his side the lead.

Laurier tried to respond with looks from George Kirio and Adriano Colangelo, but both attempts missed the target or were handled by McMaster goalkeeper Ethan Cagalj.

The Marauders doubled their advantage midway through the half on a highlight-reel strike.

After attacking in transition, Espiro connected on a bicycle kick in the 27th minute to make it 2–0.

The Golden Hawks had trouble breaking through McMaster's midfield pressure, and goalkeeper David Carano was forced to come up with several key saves to keep the score close.

In the second half, Laurier made adjustments and brought on Mateo Kozovski, who created the team's best chance in the 61st minute.

A pass into the middle set him up for a one-timer, but Cagalj came up with a strong stop to preserve the shutout.

McMaster nearly extended their lead when Cordon Cruz Jacobo struck the crossbar, while Laurier's push forward was limited to set pieces and long shots.

Carano, who had already been shaken up earlier, was replaced around the 83rd minute after going down a second time.

With time winding down, the Marauders managed the game effectively, preventing Laurier from mounting any late momentum.

Despite the result, the Golden Hawks still cling to the sixth and final playoff spot in the OUA West division, one point ahead of Windsor.

Up Next:
The Golden Hawks (2-5-1) take on the Marauders (3-1-3) in the return leg of their home-and-home.

Kick-off is at 3:15 pm at Ansley Alumni Field, and admission is free.

Fans can also follow @WLUAthletics on X for live updates.