The Crossfire played one of the best teams in the PGSLA Thursday, May 18, and it showed.
The College Heights Pub Assault, last year’s PGSLA champs, dominated the game, resulting in a lopsided 17-6 final.
The Assault came out strong, staying in control of the ball, and keeping it at the far end, for most of the first period. The Crossfire, however, couldn’t find their legs and were down eight points after the first, 10-2.
The Prince George team continued the assault through the first half of the second, shutting down the Crossfire while managing to run up six goals. The Crossfire’s defense started to find itself in the last half of the second, while the offense managed to slip one past the Assaults goaltender, to finish the third at 3-16 in the visitors favour.
By the third, the Assault started showing the rigours of having a short bench and slowed down, allowing the Crossfire, who allowed only one goal in the third and made three, to stretch out and start making up some lost ground.
The loss leaves the team sitting at the bottom of the league with a 5-0 record.
“As it stands, we really need a coach on the bench. It’s really hurting us,” president of the local lacrosse association, Lisa Scott, said.
Despite the somewhat rough showing, and a hard season for the team, Scott is pleased with the success the team has had outside the box.
“No one likes to lose but. the [players are] superstars in these kids eyes,” Scott said, motioning to the cheering kids with lacrosse sticks in the audience.
Scott says that the team has increased interest in the sport in Quesnel, with new people coming by the Crossfire practices, and has even drawn spectators down from Prince George for the games.
“It’s just positive the whole way round,” Scott said.
The Crossfire go on the road for their next two games, May 24 and 28, reprising Saturday’s game with the Assault, then playing the Stylers on the Monday; both at the Prince George Coliseum.
The Crossfire’s next hometown game is May 31 against the Devils, after which they are back on the road for another two games.