With the odds stacked firmly against them and the defending national champions lined up across the pitch at Gee-Gees Field, the Marauders found a famous result in dramatic fashion Thursday.
After playing through over 117 minutes of absorbing, stalemated soccer with the Montreal Carabins, the Marauders crafted the game's lone goal in the 118th through the incisive running of Jade Smith.
A cross from her wing asked a question to which the Montreal defence had no answer, as the Carabins turned the ball into their own goal and promptly crashed out of contention for the national title, as the Marauders advanced to a semifinal at the championship tournament for the first time since 1997.
McMaster will have a chance to earn a measure of revenge, along with a spot in the gold medal match, as their semifinal on Saturday sees the Marauders rematch the Ottawa Gee-Gees, who edged them in penalties at the OUA's semifinal stage a week ago.
That match will get underway at 12:30 p.m.
In recognition of her spotless, five-save performance, Marauders goalkeeper Juliana Hifawi was named McMaster's Player of the Match.
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Momentum began firmly in the reigning champions' favour Thursday, as Montreal kept McMaster penned inside its half for much of the opening half.
But the Marauders were organized and decisive in defence, and did not allow a shot through to Hifawi in the frame, instead fashioning a high-quality chance of their own just minutes from the break.
That opportunity fell to Stephanie Roberts, who controlled a pass at the edge of the box with her back to goal, took a strong second touch to turn and blasted a rising shot on goal that forced an excellent diving stop from Montreal's Claudia Dube-Trempe.
With that flash of brilliance past, the teams headed to the dressing rooms with everything left to play for in the second half.
After the break, it was the Marauders who found new life and invention, routinely stretching the Carabins as they probed for the goal that would break the deadlock. Directing nine shots toward goal, McMaster forced four saves from Dube-Trempe in the half, but were unable to craft an opening goal.
Pinned back for much of the second, Montreal found its feet, and very nearly a pivotal goal, in the dying minutes.
A quality run from her teammate Emmanuelle Alcindor opened space for Charlotte Boisclair, who was wide open when the ball came to her in the box, but could only watch in horror as she blasted the ensuing shot well high of the crossbar.
She found the ball at her feet yet again just a minute later, latching onto a pass just outside the area and curling a drive off the bar, before following her own rebound and watching another shot fly harmlessly high.
The teams subsequently headed to extra time, where each fashioned chances to find the opening goal in the early minutes.
The clearest of them fell to Montreal's Catherine Proulx, who was sprung behind McMaster's back line in the 97th with just Hifawi to beat. But the Marauders keeper got down well to the shot, and had the presence of mind to scuff the rebound clear from her backside.
That save kept the Marauders level, teeing up the dramatic final act that saw the defending champs tumble cruelly out of contention.
Ally Riganelli sent Smith on the gallop with a heavily-weighted through ball down the right wing, but she was equal to the run, corralling the ball along the touch line and sending in a low cross that forced an awkward reaction from Montreal defender Melissa Proulx.
In her attempt to knock the ball behind the goal, Proulx instead tapped it past Dube-Trempe and inside the near post, and was left to hang her head in desolation as the Marauders celebrated a monumental goal just two minutes from time.
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A meltdown ensued, as the Carabins saw two players sent off in a wave of protestations, leaving the OUA underdogs to ride out the victory with relative ease.
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