WATERLOO, Ont. – The Guelph Gryphons men's soccer team is moving on in the 2024 OUA men's soccer playoffs. On Saturday night (Oct. 19) at Ansley Alumni Field in Waterloo on the campus of Wilfrid Laurier University, the Gryphons picked up a dramatic playoff win to advance to the OUA quarterfinal stage. Penalty kicks were required to determine a winner on Saturday night, after the Guelph Gryphons and Laurier Golden Hawks played 120 minutes of a scoreless draw before settling things from the spot. Seven rounds of penalties were needed, but in the end, it was the visiting Gryphons coming away victorious, with Guelph edging Laurier 6-5 in penalties to advance.
 
The Gryphons entered the 2024 OUA playoffs as the No. 5-seed in the OUA West Division, after posting a 5-3-4 record (wins-losses-draws) during the regular season, while the Golden Hawks entered the postseason as the No. 4-seed in the OUA West thanks to their 6-5-1 record. The two teams, who split their two head-to-head meetings during the regular season, had nothing to separate themselves on Saturday night, with Guelph coming the closest to finding a winner late. Early in the second half of extra time, off a Guelph corner, Gryphon forward Matthew Glavanov's header glanced off the base of the post and out to mark the best scoring chance of extra time. During penalties, the Gryphons would grab early momentum, after an outstanding diving save from U of G keeper, Jacob Findlay, on the opening shooter of the 2nd round, denying Laurier penalty taker, Divraj Sandhu, to give Guelph the early edge. The Gryphons only miss of the penalty shootout would come in the 4th round when Peyton Ferdinand's well-struck take hit the crossbar and stayed out. But in the 7th round of penalties, it would be the Golden Hawks hitting the crossbar, with Leonardo Takahashi's shot hitting the frame of the goal and staying out. That meant that Gryphons third-year midfielder, Vahan Sargsyan, could put the game away, and the Mississauga native would convert from the spot to send the Gryphons through to the OUA quarterfinal stage.
 
The Gryphons will now face top seed in the OUA West, and the No. 6-ranked team in the country, in the York Lions. The Gryphons will travel to York Lions Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 23 to face the Lions, with the winner heading to the OUA semifinals.