Mac clinches playoff bye
Fraser Caldwell
Sports Editor
A split of their final two games was enough to clinch a first round playoff bye for the Marauders in the OUA’s West division.
McMaster opened their weekend on Oct. 21 with a home contest against the Waterloo Warriors at Ron Joyce Stadium and continued to demonstrate the stout defence that has become characteristic of their efforts of late.
The hosts dominated ball possession throughout the match and threatened the Warriors’ net often in the first half without managing to break the deadlock. However, the Maroon and Grey would find their range in the final 45 minutes and carve out a comfortable 2-0 victory.
Team captain Mel van der Hoop opened scoring in the 77th minute by forcing the visitors to concede an embarrassing own goal as she swung the ball into the Waterloo box.
Young striker Natalie Brace – who has excelled with the Marauders since joining the team as an exchange student from England this season – added a late insurance marker in the 87th minute by tucking away a close range effort.
Following the victory on Oct. 21, the squad travelled to Waterloo to take on the Laurier Golden Hawks, a squad long considered to be the toughest in Canada.
While two recent losses had dropped the Golden Hawks from the top position in the CIS rankings, the Laurier outfit demonstrated its skill against the Maroon and Grey on Oct. 23.
The Golden Hawks would score three times over the course of the Sunday afternoon match en route to a shutout victory, although the result would have no effect on the final conference standings.
With McMaster finishing their provincial campaign in second position in the OUA West, the team earned an automatic bye to the conference quarterfinals, which the Marauders will host at Ron Joyce Stadium on Oct. 30.
The Windsor Lancers’ opening round victory over the Waterloo Warriors on Oct. 26 earmarks them as the Maroon and Grey’s opponent for the Sunday afternoon affair.
McMaster owns a 2-0 record against the Lancers in their previous meetings this season, and will undoubtedly take considerable confidence into their quarterfinal tilt.
Kick off for the Oct. 30 knockout match is slated for 4:30 p.m.
Justine Ho
