Women’s soccer still perfect

The Wilfrid Laurier women’s soccer team had their stamina tested this past weekend with back to back games, kicking off against the Brock Badgers on Saturday and against the York Lions on Sunday. The Golden Hawks proved their strength, coming through the weekend with their undefeated record, now showing 7-0-1, still intact.

“York didn’t play yesterday, we played yesterday, so that was a factor in the game as far as energy levels,” said head coach Barry MacLean after Sunday’s match.

“I didn’t think it was our greatest performance but after going down a goal and to fight back the way we did, it was a spectacular finish.”

On Saturday, the Hawks stepped out into the rain and immediately took command of the game against the Badgers.

Rookie midfielder Amanda Mithrush netted an early ball, putting the Hawks up by one in the first ten minutes.

Brock would level the score, drawing goalkeeper Tristin Vogel out of the 18-yard-box before slipping the ball past her into the net, but the Hawks eventually came back with two more goals to win the game 3-1.

Taking the field Sunday with minimal changes to the starting line up that had played just 24 hours earlier; the Hawks had not only the York Lions to take on but also their own fatigue.

“Soccer is so taxing physically and to play two games back to back is really tough,” said MacLean.

Despite conceding the first goal of the game well into the second half, the Hawks came back and secured another victory just minutes before the final whistle to walk away with a 2-1 win.

“I think they showed a lot of guts to come out and play the way they did and when we went down, to really push the game after that is amazing,” said MacLean.

The Hawks’ first goal was the result of a scramble in front of the net, with forward Ali McKee finally putting it in, followed less than ten minutes later by third-year Krista Cellucci firing one past the Lions keeper.

“It was kind of surreal at first,” said Cellucci about scoring the game-winning goal. “It felt amazing, I was so happy.”
Despite her role in securing the victory, Cellucci declines taking too much credit, pointing to her teammates as having been just as important.

“It’s more of a team effort, it wasn’t just me it was everyone, everyone putting in 100 per cent, winning their one on one battles, that’s key in playing a really good game.”

MacLean credits the team’s unity, and their ability to communicate and work together on and off the field with helping the Hawks remain undefeated.

“We as a group right now are incredibly well united and we’ve got a massive group of leaders. “When we come out on the field we believe we are going to win, we have the confidence and I think that everybody has a great self belief in each other.”

After playing five games in nine days, MacLean feels that his team has earned a well-deserved rest before beginning preparations for their next game.

On Sunday Oct. 3 the purple and gold will travel to Windsor to face the Lancers, kicking off at 1:00 p.m.