North Stars alumni Bonterre and Linklater help Laurier win silver at OUA championships

The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks fell to back-to-back champions Trent Excalibur.

Owen Sound North Stars graduates Aliyah Bonterre, Madeline Linklater and their Wilfred Laurier Golden Hawks teammates captured the silver medal at the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Women’s Field Lacrosse Championships over the weekend at Trent University in Peterborough.

Laurier fell 16-3 in Sunday’s final to the heavily favoured Trent Excalibur, who capped their undefeated season with their second straight gold medal.

Despite entering the tournament as the sixth seed, the Golden Hawks delivered two of the weekend’s biggest upsets. Laurier knocked off the third‑seeded Western Mustangs 10-8 in Friday’s quarterfinal, then stunned the second‑ranked Queen’s Golden Gaels 11-7 in Saturday’s semifinal to earn their place in the championship game.

In the bronze medal game, Queen’s defeated the Guelph Gryphons 13-12 in overtime. Guelph opened the game with a dominant 5-1 first quarter, but the teams entered the final frame tied 8-8 before trading four goals apiece in the fourth. Former North Stars Tara Meikle – who scored twice and added an assist – and Claire Vokes are members of the Gryphons.

Earlier Sunday, the Western Mustangs rolled to a 17-6 victory over the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in the fifth-place game. The Mustangs built a 9-3 halftime lead and cruised to the win over the final 30 minutes. Western’s roster includes five Owen Sound alumni: Reese Wilkins, Courtney Scott, Emma Bryan, Leisl Stata, and Willow Smith Spinney. Wilkins and Scott each scored twice in the victory.

North Stars alum Michelle Kocher and her McMaster Marauders teammates entered the weekend as the seventh seed but couldn’t upset Queen’s in their quarterfinal game before being eliminated from the tournament with a 12-4 loss to the Varsity Blues on Saturday.