By: Mackenzie Dalgleish
Box Score
Burnaby, BC - The Simon Fraser University Clan sent off the senior class with one last win at home for their careers as the Clan ended the home part of their 2013-14 schedule with a 70-59 victory over the Saint Martin's University Saints.
Before the game SFU honoured the four seniors with a ceremony thanking them for all their hard work and effort over the past four years as the Clan's first group to spend all four of their collegiate years in the NCAA. Rebecca Langmead (Torbay, NL), Marie-Line Petit (Bergeronnes, QC), Chelsea Reist (Mission, BC) and Kia Van Laare (New Westminster, BC) were all part of the first recruiting class since moving from the CIS to the NCAA in 2010.
Once the game began the Clan came out firing on all cylinders as they raced out to a 10-2 lead just minutes into the game. Reist started things off with a three point play as she made the hoop and free throw. Reist finished with nine points and four rebounds on the night.
"We started really, really well," said Head Coach Bruce Langford. "We had very good communication early defensively in the whole first part of the game."
The Saints would narrow the score to five, but the Clan clamped down on defence and continued to push on offence as Ariana Sider (New Westminster, BC) made a nice lob pass Erin Chambers (Mission, BC) for the layup and then followed that up with a nice jumper to push the Clan's lead to ten, 20-10.
Van Laare contributed 15 points and a team high seven rebounds in the game while Petit added seven points and five assists, highlighted by a steal she took to the hoop for the basket giving SFU a 25-13 advantage.
SFU would head into the half up 39-18, again holding their opponent to under 22 percent shooting from the field, while holding a 20-15 rebound advantage.
Like Thursday, the Clan cooled off a bit in the second half, as the Saints shot 50 percent from the three point line, scoring 18 points in the process.
The Wolves would close the gap to 12 points, 49-37, but Langmead would make two free throws, while Van Laare made her final three of the night to extend the Clan's lead to 56-39.
From there SFU would coast to the eleven point victory ending their season 7-2 at home in conference play.
Chambers finished with a game high 16 points, while Langmead added six points, four rebounds and three blocks in 24 minutes of action.
"It's another game, a game we have to win," explained Langford on the events of the game for Senior Night. "Four years goes fast and we still have lot of work to do. The last game (the seniors) play will be emotional."
The game was also the teams annual cancer research fundraiser, this year branded Pink Zone+, a game in which money was raised for children's cancer charities. A silent auction was held, raffles, a bake sale and proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the cause.
With the win, the Clan improved their record to 16-6 overall and 11-4 in conference.
SFU will be back on the road next week as the travel to Alaska to take on the University of Alaska Anchorage on Thursday, Feburary 20 at 6:15 pm PST and University of Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday at 6:15 pm PST.
