ABBOTSFORD – Simon Fraser University battled the University of the Fraser Valley men's soccer team to a 2-2 draw Thursday evening in its final pre-season exhibition game.
 
The Cascades, playing at their new home pitch, MRC Sports Complex,  twice erased one-goal deficits to finish level with the NCAA Div. II Clan.
 
The Clan, which has won four Great Northwest Athletic Conference titles in the past six years, and are No. 1 ranked in the GNAC preseason coaches' poll, is now 0-0-2 in exhibition games. Simon Fraser opened its pre-season schedule with a scoreless draw against UBC.
 
The Clan now embarks on a series of non-conference games in California and Hawaii before opening its conference schedule in mid-September.
 
UFV is now 2-1-2 in exhibition action.
 
SFU showed its quality early, forcing UFV on the defensive. The Clan's Adam Jones broke the ice in the 10th minute, depositing a feed from Mamadi Camara in the bottom corner of the goal behind UFV keeper Alex Skrzeta. Skrzeta came up huge shortly thereafter, turning aside Michael North on a partial break down the left side.
 
But after the first 15 minutes, the Cascades turned the tide and had the better of the play for the balance of the half. Fifth-year midfielder Justin Sekhon drew the Cascades even in the 35th minute. He and SFU defender Pascal Schmidt came together in pursuit of the ball at the top of the box, and the ball ricocheted off Sekhon and made its way into the bottom corner behind SFU keeper Brandon Watson, who had been leaning the other way.
 
Just before the first-half whistle, the Clan struck back on the counter-attack. Jones came slashing through the midfield on a dangerous run, but Skrzeta made a spectacular play to charge out and knock the ball away. Jones recovered the ball, though, and fed Camara for a point-blank finish.
 
Gurmaan Jhaj knotted the score once again just after halftime, making a run through SFU defenders and lacing a left-footed shot from the top of the box into the bottom corner.
 
The Cascades had a great chance to go ahead with 10 minutes remaining, when Sekhon lofted a quick throw-in over the head of SFU's right back and into the path of Trampleasure, who was in alone down the left side. But Clan keeper Miguel Hof came out aggressively to stonewall the rookie striker.
 
--@SFUClan--