TORONTO – The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women's hockey team fell short against the Laurier Golden Hawks, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon. 

Both teams fought to claim an early lead in the first period. TMU mustered a few close shots on the net but couldn't manage to get the puck in the net. 

Goalie Alexia Stratos kept a lock on the net for as long as she could, collecting 19 saves in the first.

Taking advantage of their late powerplay the Golden Hawks scored, closing the first up 1-0.

In the second period, both teams competed for possession. Due to the back-and-forth play, the Bold struggled to execute during their two power plays. 

TMU's Emily Baxter put some pressure on Laurier's net but couldn't finish her shots. The Bold's defense worked hard to prevent shooting opportunities and kept  the score at 1-0 at the end of the second. 

At the start of the third period, TMU was eager to score but couldn't capitalize. The Golden Hawks scored another power-play goal, slowing their momentum. 

The Bold were presented with a few additional power plays but Laurier prevented them from setting up plays.

Stratos ended the game with 37 saves, showcasing some impressive goaltending.

Coach Lisa Haley said she brings calm energy in the net, "Sometimes it looks really panicky out there in our slot and I just think she does a good job finding pucks, eliminating second opportunities and just has a calm presence and we need that."

Despite letting the two goals in, Stratos shared what keeps her going when the team is down.

"My Dad told me this really weird thing growing up. He told me to sing the song Shake it Off by Taylor Swift whenever I let a goal in and honestly, it helps me refocus," said Stratos. 

Looking toward their next game, Coach Haley hopes the team will take this loss and use it as fuel to secure a win. 

"I think we want this really bad and it didn't happen for us tonight. I just think about the mindset of our team, we're a pretty driven team and people are going to take this as a motivating moment," said Haley.

The Bold will face off against the Brock Badgers on Friday, Nov. 3 at home. Puck drop is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. Catch all the action on OUA.tv or purchase tickets here.