It feels like things just got started, but with Week 3 in the books the 2021 CUFLA season is almost half way complete. See below for writeups about each Week 3 game.
West Division
Brock 10, Guelph 8
Box score
Brock Athletics story
Brock looked like they had control of their game against Guelph Saturday on Brock's Alumni Field as the Badgers blanked the Gryphons 4-0 in the first quarter then the teams alternated goals through the second and third, leaving Brock up 9-4 through 60 minutes.
But the Gryphons weren't about to go down easily to their long-time rivals. Guelph got one goal back three and a half minutes into the fourth quarter then another less than three minutes later. Mark Wilson's unassisted marker with 4:18 to play pulled Guelph within 9-7 and things were looking a bit tense for the Badgers as the clock ticked slowly towards full time.
"It feels like seconds turn into minutes, turn into hours. You look at the clock, and you think, 'how has it been only 15 seconds?'" Brock goalie Simon Bellamy told Brock Athletics for their web site. "When they're on a run like that, you can do one of two things: crumble or do everything in your power to stop them in their tracks and snuff out any hopes they had of coming back. My defence did an incredible job."
Mitch Zulian relieved a bit of the pressure when he connected unassisted with 2:16 remaining, but Mitch Ogilvie applied it right back with a goal 51 seconds later.
"Guelph was pushing for more goals at the end, but Simon made a couple of big saves to seal the deal with a win," said Brock's Nathan Braniff. "We just took advantage of what the defence was giving us. We've been working all week to get our systems down pat. I think it showed today with the 10 goals."
The win keeps the Badgers on pace with Western at 2-0 while Guelph drops to 1-1 on the season.
Western 21, McMaster 5
Box score
Western 15, Laurier 3
Box score
Western was the last team to open its CUFLA schedule this fall, not playing its first game until last Wednesday, but the four-time defending Baggataway Cup champion Mustangs didn't show many signs of rust as they dispatched two West Division opponents in three days by a total score of 36-8.
While the results look familiar for Western, there have been plenty of changes on the team since CUFLA last played in 2019. Of their four leading scorers through two games this year, only one was on the Mustangs roster two years ago and he had only one point that season.
Scott Del Zotto, Chris Dong, Aaron Ward and Jack Accursi have picked up right where their predecessors left off, totally 19 goals among them (and adding 1 assist each).
There was a familiar face on the field for Western fans in Hamilton Wednesday. Manraj Nijar, who backstopped the Mustangs to multiple Baggataway Cups, was between the pipes for the Marauders as he is now attending McMaster.
East Division
Bishop's 21, Ottawa 6
Box score
Bishop's game story
Bishop's played all of their first three games this fall on the road. After downing Ottawa 21-6 on Saturday night, the Gaiters head home to finish up their schedule riding a perfect 3-0 record and solidly on top of the East Division.
After exploding for 7 goals in the first quarter against the Gee-Gees, Bishop's was able to coast home. Sam Firth scored 4 of those 7 first-quarter markers, added 2 more goals in the second frame and wound up with 7 goals and 2 assists in total.
Firth was selected by the Georgia Swarm in the 2020 National Lacrosse League entry draft. With the 2021 NLL season unable to be played, he never got into a game with Georgia before being acquired by the Colorado Mammoth, with whom he'll head to camp this fall.
Queen's 9, Carleton 4
Box score
Carleton was right in the low-scoring game on their home field, pulling ahead 3-1 four mintues into the third quarter. Queen's started to claw back at the Ravens lead, though, and their third straight goal to close out the third put the Gaels in front 4-3. Then Queen's really got rolling when the fourth frame opened. Five more goals, giving the Gaels a total of 8 in a row, put the game away and improved Queen's to 2-1 while dropping Carleton to 0-3.
Carter MacKenzie led the way for Queen's with 5 goals and 2 assists while Thomas Reidy scored all 4 of Carleton's goals.
Central Division
Nipissing 14, Toronto 12
Box score
There have been quite a few lopsided scores early in this CUFLA season, but Nipissing and Toronto were nip and tuck for much of their Saturday matchup in North Bay. The Varsity Blues notched the first pair of goals but Nipissing responded with a pair of their own to see things level after the first quarter.
A 4-goal Toronto run to start the second 20 minutes opened things up a bit, but Nipissing got three of the next four to tighten the 6-2 deficit and close out the half trailing just 7-5.
After Darren Elliott scored for Toronto to open the third quarter, the teams traded runs again. Nipissing banged home 4 goals in less than eight minutes, two coming from Scott Dominey and one each from Davis Prince and Zach Tarr, who both wound up having hat tricks.
The Blues replied with 2 goals in the final 61 seconds of the third and another a minute and a half into the fourth to regain the lead and push it to 11-9.
The next run was the decisive one, though. The Lakers scored 4 goals from 2:56 to 10:03 and held on as the teams traded one final goal each before the final buzzer.
Trent 28, Laurentian 1
Box score
After trouncing Laurentian at home on Friday night, the Excalibur have completed their first trip round the East Division this fall with a perfect 3-0 record and having outscored their opponents 57-14.
Some of the usual suspects had big scoring nights for Trent, with Cam Milligan potting 3 goals and adding 8 assists while Taite Cattoni continued his upward trend by scoring 6 goals after getting 4 in his first game in CUFLA and 5 in his second. Some other players stepped up the pace, as well, though. Cole Hanrahan (6g, 2a) and Jack MacAlpine (5g, 3a) each had 8 points and Nick Webb scored his first two CUFLA goals.
Michael Holmes netted Laurentian's goal with 16:40 to play to spoil Trent's shutout bid.
Email
Print
