As students return to school for the spring semester, student-athletes everywhere are still in the thick of their competition schedules, having paused only for a quick holiday visit with family and friends.
The women’s basketball team returned to competition on Dec 30, the first day athletes were allowed back after a short Christmas break, beating former CIS rival Trinity Western University 65–41 in a slow but methodical non-conference game. The game served as a way to get back on the court and prepare for their first Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) games of the season.
The Clan got their conference schedule on the right foot, handing defending GNAC champions Western Washington University (WWU) an early season loss. A strong team performance and solid defence were the keys to the Clan’s 62–58, home-court victory, led by captain Erin Chambers who tallied 27 points on the night. Katie Lowen added 12 points and four steals to the campaign and Marie-Line Petit had 10 points and three steals of her own as well.
It was the ninth match between the two teams since SFU joined the GNAC, with WWU having edged the Clan in six of the previous eight meetings but this time around, the Clan’s momentum in the second half gave them the edge to pull away with the victory.
Unfortunately they were unable to come away with the same result later in December when they faced West Texas A&M, ranked 10th in the NCAA’s Div. II, losing the lead with minutes remaining in the game to fall 77-73 on neutral ground in Washington. Despite the loss, senior Chelsea Reist had a breakthrough game scoring a season high 18 points, as she found the confidence and consistency that fans have come to expect.
Although the loss of Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe was a source of worry for fans and statisticians, the Clan women have been able to come together in the early moments of the season and prove that a strong team effort can help patch the hole left by the All-American’s departure. Ranked fourth in the pre-season GNAC poll, the Clan have already upset the pre-season runner-up WWU, and will look to continue their winning ways into 2014.
The first games of the calendar year will prove a good test to see how the Clan can carry that momentum, as they embark on their first road trip of the new year. As long as the Clan women come ready to play to each game and don’t take any GNAC opponents for granted, the 2013-14 season has the potential to see repeat success from a year ago. As head coach Bruce Langford said early on, “It is anyone’s game in this conference.”
