The Peak

Previously undefeated Clan fall to Concordia in extra time

By Matt Lee, Associate Staff Contributor

The SFU women’s team didn’t expect the perfect streak to continue, but it officially came to an end Friday afternoon, when the Clan lost to the California-based Concordia University Cavaliers, which notched a golden goal in the eighth minute of extra time.

The shocking part of the loss, given the women had been so dominant, was the fact they were outshot 10-0. Yet, they were able to hang with Concordia and stretch the game past the 90-minute mark.

SFU had been 6-for-6 to open the season, with its last win coming against St. Martin’s, 1-0, last Tuesday on home soil at Terry Fox Field.

Sarah Boulton, who’s clearly become the most pleasant story early in the season, scored the second-half goal to will the Clanswomen to victory.

Overall, though, despite the recent defeat at the hands of Concordia, they’ve outscored their opponents 9-2 in the seven contests they have played demonstrates that the team can get the job done both offensively and defensively and SFU seems poised to make an appearance in the NAIA National Championship later this fall.

The undefeated season certainly gives the team reason to believe they can go deep in the national championship, but for head coach Shelley Howieson, it’s a little surprising the team has an unblemished record.

“The more I’m around this group, the more I’m starting to trust and believe that we have some of the hallmark signs of a championship team. Quite honestly, I’m pleased with where we are at this point, but more surprised, actually,” she explained. “[However], I would never predicate the value of any team based on their record; it’s how they put themselves on the field [that matters].”

Leading the team offensively is Boulton, of course, who now has six goals in six matches through one-third of the season. A transfer from college to SFU, she’s been a pleasant surprise for Howieson.

“I knew she had the ability at the college level to be a sniper and sometimes the transition to university is difficult,” Howieson said. “But she’s come in and proved her worth and then some.”

While Boulton has scored two thirds of the Clan goals, by no means has she carried the team on her own. SFU has won four games by a 1-0 score this year and have been victorious by playing with a stronger defensive mentality.

Howieson claims her team’s play in their own end is the biggest plus the last couple of games.

The road only gets bumpier from here, as the Clan will have their hands full with Trinity Western before taking on Carroll College at home on the 27th. It’s a rematch of last year’s NAIA Region I Championship game, when SFU was forced to travel to their place and were handed a devastating shootout loss to Carroll College, being denied the opportunity to compete at the nationals.

“We’ve played a competitive schedule up until this point, but there are a stretch of games coming up that will prove our worth; Trinity Western is always difficult, particularly at their place. Carroll College now seems to be our regional rival; they’ve got a few young players that will run at us.”

Even though the Clanswomen face a tough stretch of games in the last few weeks of September, as they approach the halfway point of the season, they understand that with a 6-0 record, the opportunity is there for the team to reach new heights for the first time since the squad went all the way in 2000.

“This is an extraordinary team.” Howieson said with a smile.

SFU, looking to bounce back and start another winning streak, travel down the Trans Canada to face Trinity Western University in Langley on Tuesday night.

Students’ next chance to see in that aforementioned tilt against rival Carroll College, the second half of a SFU soccer doubleheader that’s preceded by the men’s first home game.