Simon Fraser Caves to Boise State
from press release
BOISE, Idaho – Up 10-5 early in the second half, No.
18 Simon Fraser would let a 13-9 lead fade away in the fourth
quarter as Boise State scored three goals with the man-advantage
over the final 5:00 minutes to take the game into overtime where
they would upset the Clan by a final score of 15-14. Sophomore
attack Calvin Craig (Coquitlam, BC / Gleneagle Secondary) continued
to lead Fraser in scoring with 2 goals and 3 assists, while junior
midfielder Eric Ransom (Sherwood Park, AB / Bev Facey HS)
contributed 3 goals and an assist in the loss. Freshman attack Iain
Vickars (Burnaby, BC / Burnaby South Secondary), who made his first
collegiate start in place of Colton Dow sidelined with an injury,
also had a strong game for SFU with 3 goals, including the
equalizer with 15 second left to send the game into extra minutes.
The non-Divisional PNCLL Match-up was played on a sunny afternoon
in Boise, Idaho on the blue turf inside Bronco Stadium.
The SFU offence looked to be in sync to start the first quarter, as Craig opened the scoring from freshman Ward Spencer (Saskatoon, SK / Evan Hardy Collegiate) on the man-up, followed by Vickars scoring his first of the game on a nice feed from sophomore midfielder Tommy Newton (Saskatoon, SK / Aden Bowman Collegiate) to put Fraser up 2-0. Finding their chances, Boise State would begin to trade goals with the visiting Clan moving the score to 5-4, before another two-goal SFU run on goals by sophomore Max Weselowski (Maple Ridge, BC / Meadowridge School) and Ransom's second of the game gave Fraser a 3-goal lead at 7-4 after 15:00 minutes.
The scoring would begin to slow down in the second frame, as the Bronco's Dolin Culver (Nampa, ID / Sky View HS) tallied first to bring BSU to within two at 7-5, until Craig assisted on back-to-back goals from Spencer and freshman Mark Hilker (Bowmanville, ON / Clarington Central Secondary) to re-extend the Clan lead back to four at 9-5 heading into the half.
An outside shot from Freshman Casey Foster (Edmonton, AB / St. Francis Xavier High School) gave SFU their largest lead of the day at 10-5 out of the break. Boise State sophomore Karson Fullmer (Clarkston, UT / Sky View HS) scored, then assisted on a goal by fellow attack, junior Gunnar Guth (Ridando Beach, CA / Ridando Union HS) to bring the Broncos back to within three at 10-7, until SFU sophomore Max Weselowski, scored his second of the game, to reset the Clan lead to four at 11-7 with just over 10:00 minutes remaining in the quarter. Freshman attack Brian Scott (Mill Valey, CA / Tamalpais HS) put Boise State back on the board at 11-8, followed by senior midfielder Jeremy Bradburn (Nampa, ID / Mountain View HS) to bring the Broncos to within two. Craig's second of the game closed out the third quarter scoring and put Fraser back up by three at 12-9 heading into the fourth quarter.
Looking to be back in control, Ransom completed the hatrick on a feed from Craig to extend the Clan lead back to four at 13-9 down the stretch. From there BSU would begin to seize some momentum as Bradburn scored again at the 11:02 mark, then assisted on a goal by Culver at 9:12 to bring Boise State back to within two at 13-11. With 5:00 minutes remaining on the clock, SFU would be assessed an apparent 0:30 second penalty for illegal contact, followed by a 1:00 minute non-releasable for unsportsmanlike conduct. Forced to play shorthanded, SFU would be unable to stop the Bronco's man-up, forfeiting consecutive goals to tie the game at 13-13. With a man still in the box, SFU would be called for a 0:30 second hold, now giving the Broncos a two-man advantage. Boise State would once again capitalize with the extra man, taking their first lead of the game with just over 3:00 minutes left to play. Now trying to get back in the game, penalties would continue to make it an uphill battle, as Fraser would have to kill of another 0:30 second holding call, before Vickars finally tied the game by batting in a goal from in front of the Bronco net with only 15 seconds remaining, sending the game to extra time.
In the first period of sudden death overtime, Fraser would stop Boise State's first offensive possession and clear the ball over the midfield. Turning the ball over, a successful SFU ride would seem to force the ball out-of-bounds out of the stick of a Bronco defender. Following some uncertainty and despite the Clan holding the alternating possession, BSU would be awarded the ball giving the Bronco's another opportunity at the victory. This time the SFU defense would be unable to shut the door, as a broken play resulted in the back of the SFU net and Dolin Culver gave Boise State their first ever win over the visiting Clan.
Simon Fraser will now have two weeks off to re-group, before looking to make-up for the upset as they face their second Top 5 opponent of the young season in No. 3 Colorado State on February 24. The game will be played neutral site at Southridge, HS in Beaverton, OR, followed by another PNCLL non-Divisional match-up when SFU visits Oregon State on February 26.
