Queen's sputters in loss to Laurier

Golden Hawks score majors in all areas to remain unbeaten.

The Gaels had as much trouble keeping the momentum as they did the keeping the ball.

A much bigger crowd of 7,842 at Richardson Stadium wasn't enough for the Gaels as they fell 47-32 to the visiting Laurier Golden Hawks on Friday.

Gaels head coach Steve Snyder says they played well in their first two home games despite coming up on the wrong end of the score.

A one-yard touchdown run by Russell Weir gave the Gaels a 9-8 lead midway through the second quarter.

But the Golden Hawks (3-0) responded with a touchdown of their own on the ensuing drive to lead 15-9 and never looked back.

Snyder says whenever his team closed the gap, Laurier seemed to have an answer.

The Gaels (1-2) were sometimes their own worst enemy. Passes were either over or underthrown, receivers dropped sure passes, defense missed tackles.

Snyder says there is no one area in their game that looked really spectacular.

Defense and special teams helped the Golden Hawks put the game away and remain unbeaten to start the season.

Paul Loggale picked off Alex Vreeken and ran it back 26 yards for a score late in the third quarter. Then late in the fourth quarter, Tayshaun Jackson returned a punt 98 yards for a touchdown..

Vreeken completed 30 of 49 pass attempts for 391 yards and three touchdowns while Cedric Smith caught eight passes for 92 yards for the Gaels.

The next game for the Gaels is next Saturday against the Varsity Blues in Toronto.

Story by Ken Hashizume