If you had told the Warriors field hockey team they would have split their home and home series against the Guelph Gryphons on Friday morning, coach
Maria Leahy and her Warriors would have been happy with that. The black and gold did one better, earning a win and a draw against the Gryphs' who they hadn't defeated in over 15 years.
On Friday night in Guelph, Waterloo jumped out of the gate scoring two goals in the opening half off the stick of
Eileen Tudorica (Toronto/), her first of the season in the 7th minute, and
Kyra Lewis (Goderich/), her second in the 28th minute. Guelph would get one back late in the contest but
Marley Dowling (Waterloo/) shut the door the rest of the way stopping six of seven shots to earn her second win of the season and a gigantic victory over the Gryphons.
Two days later, the two combatants met again in Waterloo on Warrior Field and it was the Warriors who again got off to a hot start with two goals in the opening 10 minutes. Just five minutes in,
Taylor Goodhue (St. Thomas/) tapped in the first goal off of a beautifully set up short corner from Tudorica and
Mackenzie Blake (Oakville/). Five minutes later,
Hannah Cook (Waterloo/) batted in a rebound that slid between the legs of Guelph's goalkeeper Nicola Leech to put the home side up 2-0.
Waterloo held their lead late into the third quarter when Guelph got one back to make it 2-1 heading into the final 15. The Warriors came close to regaining their 2-goal lead before Guelph took advantage of a corner with just over one minute to play to tie the game at two's, making it a final score of 2-2.
The Warriors will enjoy a week off before getting back into action on Friday, October 15 against the McMaster Marauders in Hamilton and Sunday, October 17 back on Warrior Field at 9:00am.
