Undefeated through their first three games of the year, the Laurentian Voyageurs have recorded a pair of 5-0 shutouts over the RMC (Royal Military College) Paladins in the opening two weeks of the year, sweeping the home and home set.
Still, it is quite likely that the scoreless tie the visiting Voyageurs played to last Saturday versus the Carleton Ravens might be their most impressive accomplishment to date in the still young 2026 OUA campaign.
Carleton entered the contest ranked sixth in the country and still hold down spot number seven as the Ravens earned a 1-0 win over the Queen's Gaels one week prior to facing the L.U. lads.
Keeper Nate Shull stood tall, turning aside a dozen shots versus Carleton with Lucas Cidade extending the strong of zeroes between the posts for coach Brendan Teeling and company the next day in Kingston, versus RMC.
"We watched a lot of film on Carleton," said Shull, his team preparing for a big home game Saturday opposite the Nipissing Lakers. "They (Carleton) keep their wingers very high so we kept our wingers a little lower to help defensively."
Coming off a season in which they posted a record of 2-7-3 and fell just short of making the playoffs (top six), the Voyageurs are playing like a very different team, even as they prepare for a string of games that will put them to the test even more.
"We're much more confident in ourselves as a team, as a group," said Shull. "We have had some good results in previous years, but I feel the overall confidence wasn't there. I don't know that we believed that we were at the same level as some of these other teams."
"With our new coach (Teeling), he instills the belief in us."
A third year Sports Administration student from the Vaughan region, Shull is not necessarily your typical OUA keeper. "I'm not the tallest goalie, only 5'11"," he said. "I feel that being aggressive, especially in the air, is important for me."
"I really had to work on my timing with my jumps on crosses, learning how to fight through big bodies."
Referencing their commitment to the team's defensive shape a few times during the discussion, Shull noted the importance of team togetherness, especially opposite teams who may have more firepower at their disposal.
"I have to be part of the defensive line," said Shull. "If they step, I have to step. If they drop, I have to drop. I always have to be connected with them. There is much more unity (this year) with the back line and myself."
Joseph Martins and local product Maliq Olanrewaju netted two goals each in the win versus RMC, with Samuel Ekichi opening the floodgates.
The Laurentian women suffered a very humbling weekend after also opening the season with a win (4-0 at home vs RMC), beaten twice on the road in a pair of lopsided affairs: 6-1 vs Carleton Ravens on Saturday; 12-0 vs Ottawa Gee Gees last Sunday.
The team will need to regroup as they also face a very solid Nipissing Lakers side this Saturday, with the women set to start their contest at noon and the men's game beginning at 2:30 p.m., both at the Laurentian University field.
