CHARLOTTETOWN (CIS) - The Laurier Golden Hawks, 2010 OUA champions, took out the UBC Thunderbirds 1-0 in the third quarterfinal at the 2010 CIS Women's Soccer Championship being held at UPEI.
UBC drops into the consolation round with the loss and plays the loser of the day's last quarterfinal, which features the Montreal Carabins and the host UPEI Panthers, Friday at 12:00 p.m. PT. WLU advances to the second semi-final on Saturday against this evening's winner.
The Golden Hawks, CIS champions in 1995 and 1992, are unbeaten in their last eleven games and kept a 14-1-2 overall mark in the OUA this fall.
In the most entertaining game of the day thus far, Laurier was able to overcome a strong first half performance by UBC who easily could have been up two goals at the break. UBC failed to convert on a give and go at the top of the Laurier box in the 11th minute when a low hard shot had the keeper beat but was just wide right. Then, in the 34th minute, the Thunderbirds were again wide right on a play that figured to put UBC ahead.
A disappointed T-Bird head coach Mark Rogers gave Laurier credit.
“They're a good team and possess the ball well. We could have had three in the first half and then we missed some chances late.”
The wind factor prevalent in the earlier games was less evident in this game, however the Golden Hawks used what was available to their advantage in the second half as they slowly gained better field position.
It was not until the 64th minute that Laurier got a clear opportunity and they made sure to capitalize. UBC keeper
Meghan Best could not hold onto a corner kick and the resulting rebound was knocked into the net by the Golden Hawks Kesley Abbott.
UBC battled back late in the game firing a shot low off the post behind Hawks keeper Mallory Woeller in the 82nd minute. A generous rebound was driven over the net the the Thunderbirds.
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