The University of Windsor Lancers soccer team hosted the Laurier Golden Hawks in a highly anticipated OUA women's soccer playoff match on a sunny Wednesday evening at Alumni Stadium in Windsor, Ont. — a moment Lancers fans had long been waiting for. After finishing the regular season with a 6-4-2 (W-L-T) record, the Lancers edged out Laurier (5-3-4) for home-field advantage, their first home playoff game since 2016. The Lancers looked to avenge their regular season loss to the Golden Hawks back on September 14th. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The match opened evenly, with both sides feeling each other out in the early minutes. Laurier applied pressure in the seventh minute following a Lancers foul, but goalkeeper Izzy Barrette handled the resulting free kick with ease. Windsor began generating chances soon after, earning the first corner of the match in the tenth minute. A well-placed free kick by Jane Pozzi in the 16th minute came close but lacked a final touch in the box. Laurier broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute when a dangerous ball from Sasha Marikano found Kayla Merkley. Merkley's shot was stopped by Barrette, but the rebound fell to Stephanie Geady, who slotted it home to give the Golden Hawks a 1-0 lead.

Tthe second half began with the same physical intensity. In the 51st minute, Laurier picked up the match's first yellow card, and just a minute later, the Lancers nearly equalized when Kaitlyn Robertson's shot had keeper Mya Brodrecht beat only to be denied by the crossbar. In the 60th minute, Zoe Penny played a perfect through ball into the box, and Robertson calmly finished to level the score at 1-1.

Against the run of play, Laurier regained the lead in the 70th minute. A loose ball found Sasha Marikano, who spun brilliantly on her left foot and curled a stunning shot into the top corner. Windsor refused to back down, with Barrette making a crucial save in the 78th minute to keep hopes alive. Despite a late push and plenty of heart from the Lancers, they couldn't find the equalizer.

The match ended 2-1 in favor of Laurier, ending a strong and spirited season for the Windsor Lancers. The Golden Hawks will advance to the OUA quarter-final and face the top-seeded Guelph Gryphons on Saturday, while the Lancers will stay home.