SFU lacrosse wins big on home field over Boise State
By Bryan Scott
Photos by Vaikunthe Banerjee
The Boise State Broncos headed north of the border last week to play the Simon Fraser lacrosse team on Terry Fox Field. The Clan were looking to avenge their first loss ever to Boise State, which happened last season in a 15–14 overtime thriller.
Head coach Brent Hoskins wasn’t letting his team forget about last year. “We always try and keep our focus looking forward, but I know that there were a couple opponents from last season that our returners had circled on their schedules this year to try and earn some redemption,” he said.
The game had a relatively slow start. Both teams looked to hold possession and take quality shots on net. It was Clan midfielder Alex Bohl that got the ball rolling for SFU when he took a pass from Eric Ransom and fired it home.
After the Broncos tied the game at one, Sam Clare buried a hockey-like goal, shoveling the ball off the ground into the net. Shortly after that, Ward Spencer made it 3–1 SFU with a great play from behind the net.
Boise added another goal before the end of the quarter that cut the lead back to one. That is as close as the Broncos got for the rest of the game.
It was the usual suspects of Clare, Andrew Branting, and Spencer who scored the goals in the second quarter as SFU’s stingy defense led by Mark Hilker, Ryley Wanzer and goaltender Kyle Middleton shut down any attempts the Broncos threw their way. The Clan enjoyed a 6–2 lead at halftime.
In the second half, SFU’s superior skill was evident. They pumped in eight more goals, and only allowed four against to win the game 14–6. Long-stick midfielder Wanzer scored an impressive goal while shorthanded to solidify the win for the Clan late in the fourth quarter.
Clare continued his scoring ways, leading the team with four goals and adding an assist. Freshmen Bohl and Branting were essential in the win, providing five goals and three assists between them.
Long-stick midfielder Wanzer scored an impressive goal while shorthanded to solidify the win for the Clan.
Middleton made his five saves in his second win in as many starts for SFU. SFU outshot Boise State 60–19, and scooped up 35 loose balls to tame the Broncos.
The game was chippy, and the yellow flag was thrown at will by the men in stripes. Both teams combined for 25 minutes in penalties, and the Clan scored five times while up a man.
They move to 4–1 on the season, but a difficult stretch lies ahead. All of their next six games are against ranked opponents, including the number one-ranked Colorado State on March 9, 2013.
