BURNABY, BC – A golden goal by freshman Christina Dickson in the 66^th minute lifted Simon Fraser University to a 1-0 win over Central Washington in a Great Northwest Athletic Conference game Thursday evening that kept the Clan unbeaten to start the season.
 
Simon Fraser is off to a 3-0-2 start, its best since joining NCAA in 2010 when the team went 11-5-3.
 
Thursday on Terry Fox Field on campus, the Clan equaled its win total for the past two seasons combined and its three victories is more wins than it had in any of the previous four seasons.
 
Simon Fraser is 2-0 in the GNAC and will face rival Western Washington on Saturday on Fox Field beginning at 5:00 PM. Western is ranked 5^th nationally and is 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference. The Viking beat St Martin's 3-0 at home on Thursday. 
 
Central Washington fell to 2-5 overall, 0-2 in conference play, after losing to the Clan Thursday.
 
Dickson's third goal of the season and game-winner came off a wild scramble in front of Central Washington goalkeeper Amanda White. SFU junior forward Olivia Aguiar raced down the left wing and placed a through ball to a wide open Katelyn Erhardsen on the right side. Erhardsen fired a shot at White from 10 yards but White dove to make the save. The rebound bounced onto the foot of sophomore Sierra Leung who rocked a shot off what appeared to be the arm a Wildcat defender on the goal line. However, the referee did not stop play and the Dickson fired the rebound into the net.
 
The goal stood as the game-winner after the Clan withstood Wildcat pressure over the final 20 minutes as Central Washington pressed forward for the equalizer.
 
With eight minutes remaining, Central Washington forward Keilin Farrand raced down left wing past a Clan defender than cut into the box and got off a low shot that sailed past Clan sophomore goalkeeper Priya Sandhu and the far post. CWU forward Cassie Ripley also fired a shot wide from in the penalty area with less than two minutes left, the Wildcats two best chances to get on the scoreboard.
 
Dickson, the Clan's most dangerous forward on the evening, almost scored in the 42^nd minute after putting a ball past White but a Central Washington defender cleared it from the goal line. Dickson forced White to make a save on a hard shot from 22 yards in the 84^th minute and then raced in on a 2-on-2 with Aguiar a minute later but Aguiar was unable to get her foot on a pass then went past one defender and the 'keeper and through the penalty area.
 
Simon Fraser fired 19 shots at White, forcing her to make nine saves. Sandhu faced seven shots and made two saves for her fourth straight shutout. Sandhu has only allowed one goal this season.
 
SFU took 12 corner kicks while the Wildcats had seven.
 
Simon Fraser began a five game home stand Thursday that continues with Saturday's tilt against the Vikings. Game time is 5PM. Admission is free.