TUCSON, Arizona— The Rams finished off their spring break trip to Arizona with a third win, this time against Chico State. The game started off slow, and the score remained stagnant until the fourth quarter where the Rams shot ahead with an impressive 10 goals.
The Rams prevented Chico State from scoring during the first half, but at half time the Rams had only scored four points, which was uncharacteristic for the team which averages at least six goals in the first half. But the second half surge for which the team is also known for kicked in during the final quarter, getting the Rams ahead for an absolute win.
Head Coach Alex Smith was a little disappointed with the first half and how long it took the team to surge ahead, but when it came it was huge. During the 10 goal streak in the fourth quarter quite a few players got to show off their talent and score their first collegiate goals. Dustin Grybinas and Braxton Campbell were two players who scored their first goals during Wednesday’s game.
Back home and preparing for the coming weeks Coach Smith has plans to improve the team and continue their power for the rest of the season. “We need to get a better production out of our middies that aren’t on the first line,” Coach Smith said. “That’s definitely something we’re going to be focusing on as we move forward. Even Wednesday, it took us a long time to get rolling and better teams are going to be able to take advantage.”
Overall this trip was something for the Rams to be proud of. “We got a big win against a top-notch team on Saturday, we battled adversity and won on Monday and we hung in there and finished the trip tonight,” Coach Smith said, “and our defense and goaltending was outstanding on this trip.”
For the remainder of spring break the team will have a few days off to rest and recharge. “Next month is going to be challenging, even though we are mostly at home,” Coach Smith said.