Portland, OR – When sophomore Ryan Dhillon (North Delta, BC) of the Simon Fraser University men's soccer team scored in the eighth minute of Sunday's NCAA Division II men's soccer quarterfinal contest against Regis University, it was much too early in the match to assume it would be the game-winner.
Dhillon's was the first of many on Sunday for the Clan as Simon Fraser unleashed for a 5-0, record-setting rout of Regis en route to inching within two wins of the NCAA Championship.
The Western Washington Vikings women's soccer team, who are also headed to the NCAA Championship semi-final in Georgia, shares the award with the Clan this week.
For the Clan, the "Final Four", is familiar territory, as SFU reached the stage last season, bowing out to the Saginaw Valley Cardinals in the semi-final match.
Since joining the GNAC for the 2010 season, SFU has all but rewritten the conference record books. Last season's team set records for season goals (73), assists (58), points (204), shots (473), corner kicks (169) and most consecutive wins or ties (24 between 2011 and 2012).
The Clan entered Sunday's match with 70 goals this season, and with an 84th-minute finish from Alexander Kleefeldt (Frankfurt, Germany) a new standard was set for goals in a single season in the conference.
While the continual redefinition of the GNAC record book displays the quality of the Clan, Koch believes it is how the team finishes the season that determines its level of success.
"Last season we made it to the 'Final Four', this season we are going to the semifinals," said Koch. "It was all glitz and glamour last year, this year we're getting ready for the next match."
The 2013 NCAA Championship men's and women's tournaments each begin on December 5 at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, GA. Simon Fraser will face Carson-Newman in the semi-final match.
