From overtime victories to record-setting runs, here are the top five sports stories at Waterloo this week you might have missed.
Women’s hockey comes out victorious in overtime thriller
Western’s Mustangs had a quiet ride home from CIF on Saturday after losing by one point to UW.
The match started slowly, ramping up at the end of the first quarter. The Mustangs’ Sara Powell scored first, but UW didn’t let that demoralize them, as CIF lit up when forward Keiara Raitt responded 30 seconds later with a goal of her own.
From then on, the Warriors got into penalty trouble, picking up four while the Mustangs skated by with one. Early in the third, they scored another to go up 2-1, but the Warriors’ bad luck shifted when a Mustang was called for a penalty with less than three minutes left to play. UW’s defensewoman, Katina Duscio, took the opportunity to cruise down the ice while up a player to score the goal that brought the match to overtime. From there, forward Tatum James scored a goal in overtime to ice the game, 3-2.
The women’s team laces up again on Halloween in Waterloo, against the 2-3 Windsor Lancers.
Men’s basketball comes back from a fifteen-point deficit in the fourth quarter
Nothing feels better than winning at home, but the cherry on top is overcoming what seem like insurmountable odds. Against the York Lions last weekend, the men’s basketball team experienced that euphoria, scoring 30 points in the fourth quarter to come back from a 35-50 deficit and win 65-62.
In the team’s first official game of the season, point guard Vojkan Prica scored a game-high 23 points, with 12 coming in the fourth quarter alone. Close behind him was shooting guard Cristian Craciun, putting up fourteen to secure the win.
The Warriors suit up again on Halloween against the Laurier Golden Hawks in the Battle of Waterloo at eight PM.
Paige Breedon and Patrick Dean of cross-country make their mark
Rocketing into eleventh and sixteenth overall place finishes, respectively, are UW’s athletes of the week (AOTW), Paige Breedon and Patrick Dean. Breedon was named an OUA all-star and has secured a spot at the USports championship. The women’s team finished eighth overall, while the men finished in ninth.
Attentive readers will remember Dean from his last cross-country meet, where he finished in second place at the Don Mills Open. This is his second time being named an AOTW. Dean will be joining Breedon at the USports Championship, which will be held in Sherbrooke, Quebec, on Nov. 8.
Men’s soccer falls in the OUA semi-finals
Having made their first playoff appearance in the past few years, all eyes were on the Warriors as they took on the number one-ranked Toronto Varsity Blues in the OUA semi-final. Unfortunately, Saturday’s rainy weather had to mask the tears of the black-and-gold in a 0-2 loss in Toronto.
UW stayed in the game until the ninetieth minute, when a kick by Toronto’s Jordan Grey trickled into the net. The Warriors couldn’t get past the Blues’ goalie, who had eight saves at the end of the match. Three yellow cards didn’t help the Warriors at all, who were stuck on defence for most of the game. Despite showing promise this season, UW will have to wait for next autumn for another shot at the title.
Volleyball gets ready for its season to start
After the women’s team finished 14-7 last year, and the men’s team finished 8-`3, with both teams ending their seasons early in the quarter finals, volleyball season is finally back! After a few pre-season matches against the likes of the TMU Bold and the Brock Badgers, both teams will face the York Lions on Halloween at Carl Totzke Court in PAC.
