The Peak

Ready for challenge

By Matt Lee, Associate Staff Contributor

The SFU women are gearing up for their own drive towards a berth in the national championship and will have a daunting task ahead of them.

As part of the Association of Independent Institutions, SFU has found a new way to qualify for the national championship as opposed to previous years where they needed to defeat all teams in their division for a spot. In the Independent division, they compete against different schools in a winner-take-all format. If the ladies can defeat California State University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Arizona) and Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), they will qualify for the NAIA nationals.

Perhaps what’s on the mind of many of this season’s returning cast is their failed attempt to qualify for the national championship. Despite an outstanding 9-4-3 finish, the Clan were ousted in the Region I finals at the hands of Carroll College on penalty kicks, allowing their longtime rival to qualify and effectively ending SFU’s season. While their finish in 2007 was a vast improvement over their 2006 year, the Clan know they have high expectations set for themselves every season.

Leading the Clan offensively has been Sarah Boulton, a college transfer who has eight goals on the year. Her 19 shots account for almost a quarter of the total Clan shots and her eight goals are one-third of the team offense. It’s clear that if the ladies in red and white have a fighting chance at entering this year’s tournament, Boulton will have to continue to showcase her talent.

Some of the other supporting cast include defender Ari Adams, who has a goal and six assists. Chanelle Bradshaw, Marissa Antoniazzi, and Aly Benes have also made strong contributions. Keeper Cassie Newbrook has played all but one game for the Clan, allowing just 10 goals on the season.

The Clan capped off their regular season against Central Washington, losing by a 2-1 score.