Sports in brief: Feb 24

Laurier figure skaters take sixth at provincials

Last week, Waterloo’s RIM Park Arena played host to the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) figure skating championship. The Hawks finished sixth while the Guelph Gryphons took home first place.

Laurier received strong individual performances from Michelle LaMarche and Andrea Green, who came in first in the intermediate similar pairs, Adam Arscott, who took second in the men’s open free skate, and Alitsha Burden and Brittany Maksymyk, who finished third in the senior similar pairs.

Swimmers find success at nationals

The Laurier women’s swim team took home their best finish in 10 years at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships, finishing tenth overall. The Calgary Dinos took home the top spot at the meet which was held at the University of Toronto.

Individually, the Hawks were once again led by fourth-year Whitney Rich, who swam personal best times in the 200-metre individual medley and the 50-metre breast stroke, while finishing fifth and sixth respectively.

Gordon wins three OUA awards

Julie Gordon, a first-year on the Golden Hawks’ women’s volleyball team, took home three provincial awards over the weekend. The native of Barrie, Ontario won the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) west division’s rookie of the year award and was also named to the all-rookie team, while achieving second-team all-star honours.

Gordon led the Hawks in kills (143) and blocks (67) this season, as well as service aces (32), which was also good enough for third in the nation.

Men’s basketball playoff bound

Last Wednesday, Laurier’s men’s basketball team took on the Brock Badgers in a game where the winner would head to the post-season and the loser would be eliminated. The Hawks came out on top 75-68, clinching the final playoff spot in the OUA west.

The purple and gold then finished their season with a victory on Saturday afternoon, downing the Waterloo Warriors 67-63.

The Hawks head on the road tonight to open their post-season versus the Western Mustangs.

Women’s basketball finishes season on winning streak

After defeating the Brock Badgers and the Waterloo Warriors last week, the Golden Hawks’ women’s basketball team now heads into the post-season riding a two-game winning streak.

The team finished in the sixth and final playoff spot in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) west division and will take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves in Thunder Bay tonight in a single-game elimination playoff match-up.