MSOC | Voyageurs Come Up Short Against Excalibur

On the back of another successful homestand the Laurentian Voyageurs looked to extend their 4 game unbeaten run with another result on the road in Peterborough against the Trent Excalibur. 

After beating the Excalibur in the reverse fixture in Sudbury 4-2, the Voyageurs were coming into this game full of confidence and looking to take all 6 points from Trent this season.

Things got off to a very tough start though as within a blink of an eye Trent was out to a 2-0 lead with goals in the 4th and 8th minute. Then in the 23rd minute Trent added a third goal making it 3-0 before the Voyageurs could really get going.  

It was at the half hour mark that things began to turn for Laurentian. First a great run through the midfield from Timi Aliu ended with him sending the ball behind the Trent backline and onto the foot of Joshua Geddes. As Geddes collected the ball he quickly fired it past the Trent goalkeeper to make it 3-1. 

That first goal changed the complete complexion of the game as just moments later 3-1 became 3-2, with Aliu once again making a fantastic pass this time flicking the ball around the Trent defender sending Joseph Martins 1 on1 against the keeper with the attacker making no mistake with his chance. 

With some thinking it couldn't get any better for the Voyageurs just 2 minutes later it did. After his 2 assists Aliu got one of his own. With Trent failing to clear the ball Aliu's pressure led to him being fouled inside the box. A Laurentian penalty kick was given and for the second game in a row Aliu would not miss as he neatly put the ball into the bottom left corner to make it 3-3. 

From 3-0 to 3-3 and all the momentum on their side you would have thought the Voyageurs would go on to win. However a goal just before halftime for the Excalibur made it 4-3, draining all the energy the Voyageurs had built over the last 20 or so minutes. This would lead to Trent scoring another 2 in the second half winning the game 6-3. 

As their 4 game unbeaten run ends with this defeat the Voyageurs will try to bounce back, rounding out their regular season next weekend when they take a trip to Toronto taking on the TMU Bold and Toronto Varsity Blues in their final two games of the regular season.

- Andrew Lemieux