WSOC | Voyageurs Defeated by Late Winner from Ridgebacks

The Laurentian Voyageurs women's soccer team began their weekend with a home game against the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks as they looked to turn around a tough start to the season with a win at home.

Both teams began the match on the slower side, just trying to assert their game plan on their opponent. Hunter Jones, the Voyageurs goalkeeper, was called into action to make some early saves as the Ridgeback pressure began to build over the course of the half.

As the defense stood strong throughout the first half, Laurentian's best chance of came in the 32nd minute when Mary Whiffen was released down the left wing and was able to cut onto her right foot. The ensuing shot curled towards the far corner of the net and ended up forcing a strong save out of the Ontario Tech keeper. With neither side able to convert on their chances in the first half, the score line at the end of the half ended up being the same as it when it started at 0-0.

It was more of the same in the second half as the Voyageurs continued to weather the Ridgebacks storm for the majority of the second half. The game looked destined to finish in a draw with the Voyageurs picking up their first point of the season. However, as the 87th minute came around the ball found its way on the edge of the box on the foot of Samantha Russell who fired it in the bottom corner to give the Ridgebacks the late lead. With just a few minutes left to try to come back, the Voyageurs would come up short, as the one goal was enough to win it for Ontario Tech.

The Voyageurs go again on Sunday at home to the Trent Excalibur looking to snap their rough start to the season against the 1-0-5 Excalibur.

- Andrew Lemieux