Nathaniel Oliveira picked the biggest moment to score his first career Ontario University Athletics (OUA) goal. 

In front of a raucous crowd at Alumni Field, the Brock Badgers men's soccer team came out victorious with a thrilling 1-0 victory in the first round of the OUA playoffs over the visiting Laurier Golden Hawks on Wednesday, Oct. 15. 

"I'm so proud of this team and the way they battled throughout the game," said head coach Jordan Cardinale. "Laurier proved very difficult to break down and caused numerous problems to solve while in possession. In the end, the win was hard fought and thanks to Nathaniel's great instincts, we're able to take a great next step in this season's journey." 

In extra time, the Badgers continued the pressure they had all game as Luca Danesi's attempted shot found the foot of Oliveira, who turned around and tucked the ball past the right leg of Laurier's goalkeeper David Carano. 

"I saw my chance and checked my shoulder and the back line to see if I was offside," Oliveira said. "After I made sure I was on, I saw the opportunity to take it, kept my composure on the ball roll and then slid it in." 

Danesi was credited with the assist and was an offensive catalyst all night, registering four shots on target and generating a lot of momentum for Brock early in the first half. After 45 minutes, they had fired seven shots on target, while holding Laurier to none. 

As the game continued, the Badgers' defence held the visiting Golden Hawks from delivering a shot on first-year goalkeeper Nikola Neskovic, who has been a symbol of this team's youth movement all season." 

"This young group came together quickly, showing real purpose, discipline and a willingness to suffer for each other through the challenges of a demanding regular season campaign," Cardinale said. "The team fought their way to a third-place finish in the regular season built on belief and collective identity. With one of the youngest rosters in the conference, starting 60% underclassmen, the team's maturity and competitiveness stood out;  a clear sign of the culture within the program." 

These two teams met for the third time this season. The first matchup ended in a draw, while the most recent meeting on Sept. 7 resulted in a 4-2 road win for the Badgers. 

Looking ahead, Oliveira knows there is more work to be done as they make their next step in the playoffs. 

"We're ready to train hard every day leading up to it and are eager to get back at it," he said. 

Up next, the Badgers will travel to Waterloo, Ont., and Warrior Field for an OUA quarterfinal match against the Waterloo Warriors on Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m. In their only meeting of the regular season on Sept. 14, the Badgers and Warriors settled for a 2-2 draw.