Shamrocks double up Thunder in season opener

Jesse Gillespie (left) and the Langley Thunder fell 12-6 in Victoria to the Shamrocks on May 24 in the Western Lacrosse Association season opener for both teams. photo courtesy of Victoria Shamrocks

A pair of lengthy scoring runs were too much for the Langley Thunder to overcome.

Facing the Victoria Shamrocks on May 24 at Victoria’s Q Centre to kick off their respective Western Lacrosse Association seasons, the Senior A Thunder were on the short end of a 12-6 final score.

The Shamrocks opened the game with five unanswered goals, and after the Thunder struck back to score twice in the first 2:01 of the middle frame, Victoria rans off another four-goal run for what became an insurmountable deficit for Langley.

Victoria led 9-3 after 40 minutes before each team tallied three times in the final frame.

Chase Scanlan (2-2), Charles Scanlan (1-2), Tristan Kirkham (1-1), Kyle Brunsch (1-1 and Nathan Lam (1-0) had the Langley goals with Clay Scanlan adding a pair of assists. Aden Walsh stopped 44 of 56 shots.

For Victoria, Jesse King (3-4) and Kyle Pepper (0-5) each had huge games while Arthur Miller (2-2), Tom Vaesen (2-2) and Patrick Dodds (2-0) scored two goals apiece. Cam Dunkerley made 32 saves on 38 shots in the Victoria next.

Up next for the Thunder is the team’s home opener on May 29 as they welcome the New Westminster Salmonbellies to Langley Events Centre. Game time is 7:30pm.

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