Women Clan still perfect after preseason

The SFU Clan women’s basketball team is looking to end its association with Canadian Interuniversity Sport on a high note. They’re already pitch-perfect.

The defending CIS champions enter their final season against Canadian competition riding a 34-game winning streak that dates back to the opening weekend of last season. The Clan, who will be joining the rest of SFU’s sports teams in the NCAA’s Great Northwest Athletic Conference next year, padded their perfect run with two exhibition wins over the University of Windsor Lancers over the weekend, 69-50 on Sunday and 81-78 on Saturday.

With the departure of three key players from last year’s squad, including team captain Brittany Fraser who’s moving behind the bench to assist head coach Bruce Langford, fifth-year seniors Lisa Tindle and Brea McLaughlin will be expected to provide the leadership for newly-minted seniors like Laurelle Weigl, Matteke Hutzler, Kate Hole and Robyn Guna as well as a trio of freshmen, Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe, Kristina Collins and Carla Wyman. They’ll be supported by a solid stable of returning veterans, Katie Miyazaki, Carly Graham, Kelsey Horsting and Anna Carolsfield.

“This is the most mature and energetic team we’ve had since I started coaching here,” said Langford, who’s guided the Clan to four CIS national championships in eight seasons. “Since we brought this class in four years ago, we’ve been a young team, always looking to develop and build for the future. Now that they are seniors, I’m excited to see what we can do this year.”

Saturday’s squeaker might have been a little more excitement than Langford was counting on though as his charges needed a pair of forced turnovers on inbound passes late in the game to keep their winning streak intact.

The Lancers, who are expected to contend for a top-five ranking, kept the Clan on their toes as the game featured six lead changes after being tied at the end of the first and third quarters. They out rebounded SFU 41 to 34. But they also gave up 15 steals and 25 forced turnovers.

“The plan was to play very good defense,” said Langford. “It was a wonderful opportunity to compete against a team that competed very hard and works very hard, and we struggled at times.”

With Saturday’s scare still fresh in their legs, the Clan exploded for 25 points in the second quarter of Sunday’s encore to open up a 39-26 lead at half time. They increased that to a 20 point advantage midway through the third quarter before settling in for their 19-point victory.

“I thought we made some changes from yesterday and adjusted to what (Windsor) was throwing at our team,” said Langford. “This was a good challenge to start the season.”

Weigl led the Clan scoring, shooting seven for 12 from the field for 17 points, while Tindle and Hutzler chipped in with 12 each.

The Clan open their Canada West regular season in Victoria on Saturday.

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