The Clan started their season in Riverside, California where they competed in a two-day tournament against the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and Cal State San Marcos. Following the tournament, they stayed in Riverside for a game against California Baptist University. SFU went 2–1 on the trip, only losing their first game to UCSD.
This game was a disappointing way to start the season for the Clan, as they struggled shooting the ball in a 69–52 loss. A major part of their 27.6 shooting percentage was Sophie Swant and Nicole Vander Helm (two players who will be relied on heavily on offence this season) combining for 2–22 from the field and eleven points. Point guard Tayler Drynan had a strong first game as Ellen Kent’s replacement, going 4–7 from the field (all threes) for 12 points, and added in five assists. For USCD, Mikayla Williams had a game high 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Swant and Vander Helm put the tough game behind them the next day, as they led the Clan to a 63–59 win over Cal State. Swant lead the game with 17 points on 50 per cent shooting, while Vander Helm chipped in 13 points and six rebounds on 6–9 shooting. She was clutch down the stretch as well, getting SFU’s last two field goals of the game in a close match.
SFU played its third game in four nights on Monday, in what was their best game of the young season. While they struggled in the first half, being outscored in the first and second quarters to be down 42–35 at the break, they bounced back for a big second half. Tayla Jackson had a fantastic game, finishing with 25 points, seven rebounds and three steals. Vander Helm was great again down the stretch, with nine of her 14 points coming in the fourth quarter.
Another important thing to note was head coach Bruce Langford playing his starters big minutes, with four starters playing 35 minutes or more. With only two available players off the bench tonight (Tia Tsang — 18 minutes; Kendall Sands — 12 minutes) due to a small roster size and injuries, look for this to be a recurring trend throughout the season.
All in all, this road trip should be seen as a good start to the season for the Clan. With a low body count, being able to go 2–1 when playing three games in four nights is a positive. While they struggled tremendously to UCSD, this was an uncharacteristic shooting night for a team that, in coach Langford’s words, should shoot better than last year. If the team can stay healthy, they look like they will be highly competitive in the Great West North Athletic Conference.
Catch the Clan when they take on the University of Hawaii in their home opener on November 16. Tip off is at 12 p.m.
