Securing their first place spot in the OUA (Ontario University Association) West division this weekend, the Wilfrid Laurier women’s soccer team took to the field at home on Sunday and held out for a 3-1 victory over the McMaster Marauders.
“I thought offensively we played very well today, we created lots of chances,” said head coach Barry MacLean. “We definitely were the dominant team, but I have a little bit of an issue with the way we played defensively.”
Opening the game with force, Hawks midfielder Heather Malizia netted an early goal after five minutes of play. They continued to assert themselves throughout the first half and were up by two after midfielder Alyssa Lagonia fired one past the keeper into the top left corner.
The Marauders answered back just before the half time whistle with a goal of their own, slipping the ball past Hawks goalkeeper Mal Woeller.
After starting off slow in the second half the Hawks were able to recover and came back with one more goal as Ali McKee lobbed the ball over the Marauders goal keeper and into the back of the net.
“I think we did what we had to do, we just wanted the points, but I think it’s more important that we perform as best as we can and I think that we can do better than we did today,” commented Malizia.
The Hawks have been loud and clear all season about demonstrating their skills and their ability to be an assertive team, with 34 goals in 13 games and only one loss.
“I know that the rest of the league knows that we are a dominant team so when we play… it’s a war for every game, we have to fight for all of our points,” said MacLean.
The Hawks have one match left in their regular season and will be kicking off at home against the Waterloo Warriors this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. before looking ahead to the next round of competition. They will begin their playoff bid at home in the OUA quarter finals on Oct. 30.
“We just want to get refocused on our overall team shape and how we are defensively, because the games when we get to playoffs are not as open as these, they’re more physical and they’re more defensively oriented,” said MacLean.
As a team that has shown confidence all season, the Hawks are now looking forward to the playoffs with this unwavering attitude.
“We have 28 players who are good enough to be on the field so I think what’s most important is that we play as a team, instead of individually, and we play to our best,” said Malizia. “We have the talent.”
