The road to a National Championship continued for the Clan lacrosse squad with a win against Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL) opponent University of Washington last Saturday in Seattle.
It wasn’t a game for the faint of heart, mired by dirty hits, questionable calls, and a steady parade to the penalty box — but the Clan maintained their composure to double up the Huskies 16–8 and improve their record to 2–0 in the PNCLL and 3–1 on the season.
The Clan’s speed and aggressive play were key factors in the win, going on several four- and five-goal runs and outshooting the Huskies 56–17 over 60 minutes. Leading the way again for the Clan was Burnaby native Tyler Kirkby, netting four goals and two assists.
Other multiple goal scorers included Ward Spencer (four goals, one assist) and Lyndon Knuttila (three goals, one assist). Five other players netted goals for the Clan, including Brandon Farrell and Clayton Fenney, who both scored their first of the season.
Though the shot totals and final score may suggest otherwise, the game wasn’t a cakewalk. The Huskies came out hard, attempting to intimidate the Clan with physical play and several late hits, but couldn’t match the Clan’s speed or precision and SFU dominated the possession game.
Penalties plagued the Clan, however, as the Huskies went on a four-goal run on consecutive powerplays to claw back into the game. But despite being shorthanded for 10:30, the Clan’s offence gave them a big enough cushion to withstand the barrage. The Huskies’ run cut the score to 14–8 late, but SFU quickly shut the door, firing two more past UW goaltender Ryan Asbury to end the game.
Both Clan goaltenders faced limited shots: Darren Zwack stopped four of eight shots, earning him a 0.500 save percentage in first 41:30 minutes and Jeremy Lasher stopped five of nine shots, good for a 0.556 save percentage over the remaining 18:30 minutes. Zwack, the Clan’s primary goaltender, maintains a save percentage of 0.654 on the year.
With a 3–1 record on the season, the Clan has moved up the MCLA rankings, with the latest poll showing the team up three spots to #14. With upcoming games against ranked opponents #3 Arizona State, #11 Texas, #21 Oregon State, and #24 Arizona, the Clan will look to continue their success and move up the rankings even more.
SFU continues its season with eight games in the month of March including three at home and four against divisional opponents. The next home game for the Clan will be March 7 on Terry Fox Field against division rival University of Idaho Vandals.
