WATERLOO, Ont. - This past weekend the Western Mustangs field hockey team kicked off the OUA season at the Warrior Field in Waterloo, Ontario with three hard fought games against York University, McGill University, and Queen's University. It was a good start to the season for the Mustangs as they game out of the weekend with a 2-1 record with victories over York and McGill.
 
Western pressured York right from the first whistle Saturday morning when only three minutes into the game, Lauren Mackenzie received the ball in the circle, curled strong, and buried the ball in the corner of the net to give the Mustangs an early lead.
 
Mackenzie set up Western's second goal by pushing the ball to the front of the net where Roganowicz capitalized on her own rebound. Roganowicz carried the ball across the top of the circle, flicked it over the goalies stick and into the top of the net. Roganowicz would add another goal allowing Western to finish the half with a 3-0 lead. 
 
Approximately half way through the second half, Megan Duffy scored Westerns fourth goal of the game off of a short corner. York would later capitalize on a counter attack, adding one goal but it wasn't enough as the Mustangs took a 4-1 victory.
 
Saturday afternoon Western carried their momentum forward as they took on the McGill Martlets. Goalkeeper Shanshan Tian played a very strong game, receiving the first shut out of this year's regular season. 
 
Western got the lead early in the game when Duffy scored her second goal of the day, once again off a straight shot from the top of the circle. With five minutes left in the first half Safia Mohammed gave a square pass on her reverse, and Roganowicz stepped up and flicked the ball in the bottom right hand side of McGill's net to give Western a 2-0 lead heading into the half.
 
Western played a great defensive second half, only allowing McGill to enter into the circle eight times and with two short corners, eventually closing the game out with a 2-0 win. 
 
Western's keeper, Shanshan Tian, is excited about how well the team is working as a unit. "The defense is playing strong and communicating well, the midfields are dictating the plays and controlling the field." Tian added that "the forwards are playing off of each other and finding the back of the net."
 
To finish up the weekend, Western took on the Queen's Gaels Sunday morning but they were unable to pull off another win. 
 
The Mustangs controlled the ball majority of the first half, having 17 circle entries and six shots on net. Merely ten minutes into the game, Western took advantage on a short corner as Duffy hit the ball to the net, creating a scramble, but just when it was looking promising for the Queen's goalkeeper, Leah Burke was able to flick the ball over her pads and into the net.
 
Western was not able to hold on to the lead for long. A Queen's midfielder hit a hard ball from outside the circle, across to Carolyn Buchanan at the back post, who tipped it over the line. The half ended with a 1-1 tie.
 
Despite a slow start at the top of the second, the Gaels found momentum and snuck the ball past Western keeper Shanshan Tian for the last goal of the game, making it a 2-1 final for Queen's.
 
Overall, Head Coach Jeff Pacheco is pleased with how the team has started the season. "A lot of players really stepped up, making great tackles as well smart decisions under pressure" Pacheco commented.
 
Next up for the Mustangs are games against the University of Toronto and Waterloo which are scheduled for Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, at Toronto's Varsity Stadium.