Box Score Denver, CO - The Simon Fraser University men's soccer team earned a convincing win on Sunday in their "Elite Eight" match against the Regis University Rangers, defeating the hosts 5-0 on their home pitch.
Simon Fraser scored two in the first have before an offensive outburst in the second half secured the five goal victory.
"Brilliant performance, the guys stepped up and did everything we wanted them to do," said Head Coach
Alan Koch. "Our work rate was phenomenal. It helped us shut them down and play with conviction in front of the goal. I take my hat off to the guys for stepping up. We were missing
Lucas Ferritto because of suspension, some guys were injured and some were sick and the team stepped up. It's been a long road trip so we'll get home, relax for a few days and then prepare for Georgia."
It didn't take long for the Clan to get the game winner as it came in the eighth minute courtesy of
Ryan Dhillon (North Delta, BC).
Dhillon's goal was unassisted as the ball was stolen from the Regis defence and he scored into the left side of the net.
"The centre back had the ball and was looking to pass to the left back," said Dhillon. "I just kind of read the play, intercepted it and was able to score the goal."
While the Clan earned the bulk of the scoring chances in the first half it wasn't until the 41st minute, with just four minutes remaining until the half, that SFU was able to score an insurance goal.
The goal came off a corner kick with
Colin Jacques (Richmond, BC) scoring it and
Alex Rowley (Maple Ridge, BC) getting the assist.
Early in the second half,
Carlo Basso (Coquitlam, BC) made it 3-0 for SFU.
Dhillon got the assist on the goal that saw him beat the defender and cross the ball into Basso who converted on the goal.
"I think we played really well today as a team. Everyone got in and everyone contributed equally and we got a good result out of it," continued Dhillon.
In the 84th minute,
Alexander Kleefeldt (Frankfurt, Germany) wired a free kick into the top right side of the goal and just over a minute later
Jovan Blagojevic (Coquitlam, BC) wrapped up the Clan scoring when he scored on a cross from Basso.
Brandon Watson (Victoria, BC) made three saves in the shutout in a game in which the Clan outshot Regis 19-8 including 12 shots on target for the Clan compared to three for Regis.
The win sends the 18-2-2 Clan to the "Final Four" in Evans, GA for the second year in a row.
"We need to be switched on right from the start in Georgia. We came out flat last year. We played better in the second half but we just couldn't recover so I think starting strong will be key," finished Dhillon.
The four sides heading to Georgia will have this week to prepare before the semi-finals are played on December 5 when the Clan will face the Carson Newman Eagles who are the southeast region champions and defeated top ranked Rollins to reach the "Final Four."
