LENNOXVILLE, Que -- Isaiah Cree from the Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation in upstate New York, registered his first career hat-trick as McGill cruised to a 10-2 road victory over Bishop's in a key Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association matchup at Coulter Field, Thursday.

The result put a damper on the BU Homecoming celebration and was the first setback of the season for the Gaiters, who dropped to 5-1. They sit four points ahead of the Redbirds, who improved to 3-1 with two games in hand.

It marked McGill's sixth consecutive decision over the Gaiters since a loss in 2017. The eight-goal margin of victory was McGill's second-best in their lifetime series against BU and the highest spread since a 12-3 conquest at Lennoxville in 2008.

"A huge win for our program, it was really a team effort tonight and felt like the start of something big," said head coach Nicolas Soubry, whose troops are in the midst of a tough three games in three days."Our group was really focussed tonight and it was a big step for us but the guys are already looking to tomorrow's game against Queen's."

McGill led 3-0 after the opening quarter and increased the count to 6-0 before Bishop's could reply. The Redbirds took a 7-1 advantage into halftime, upped it to 9-1 after three quarters and the final stanza was a stalemate at 1-1.

Cree, a six-foot, 205-pound attacker, scored what proved to be the game-winner, giving McGill a 3-0 strangle-hold with 5:05 remaining the first quarter. The 22-year-old senior in international development studies, then scored early in the second to make it 4-0. He was shaken up after that but returned to the game and completed the hat-trick seven minutes later to put the Redbirds ahead 6-0.

"He was a dominant force," Soubry said of Cree, a 2019 recipient of a prestigious Tewaaraton Native American Scholarship. "He loves the game and every time I talk to him, all he wants to talk about is school and playing lacrosse. His leadership really stabilized our team tonight."

However, with 8:36 remaining in the game, it appeared that three players were ejected for some taunting that resulted in a shoving match between the team benches. Cree and teammate Dylan James were penalized for McGill, while Harrison Jones was flagged for Bishop's.

Earlier in the game, James, a junior midfielder from Little Britain, Ont., a rural community in Kawartha Lakes, added a pair of goals and set up two others.

Rounding out the Redbirds scoring with one goal apiece was Rowan Birrell of North Vancouver, B.C., Cameron McGinnis of Scarborough, Ont., Luke Dawick of Oakville, Patrick Aber of Boulder, Col., and John Miraglia of Memphis, Tenn.

Replying for the Gaiters was Jacob Gasperetti of Ottawa and Hendrik Wulder of Victoria, B.C.

Despite the lopsided score, the shots on net were even at 18-18. Redbirds goalkeeper Joseph Boehm, a science senior from Waterloo, Ont., made 16 saves for the victory, while Sebastien Elie of Montreal was beaten 10 times on 18 shots and took the loss.

Soubry also cited sophomore midfielder Samuel MacDonald and freshman Ben Buzby, a short-stick defenceman, as key factors in the game. MacDonald, a 19-year-old kinesiology sophomore from Guelph, Ont., won 13 of 16 faceoffs, while Buzby, played a great defensive game and ran the ball up-field with authority.

McGill (3-1) won't have much time to celebrate as the Redbirds will host Queen's (2-2) on Friday (Sept. 30). It will mark McGill's first annual Legacy Game, recognizing National Truth & Reconciliation Day. There will be a special pre-game ceremony, honouring the Indigenous roots of lacrosse, slated to be held 15 minutes prior to the 8 p.m. faceoff at Percival Molson Stadium. There will also be specially-designed orange T-shirts for sale, with proceeds going to the Native Friendship Centre of Montreal.

Then the Redbirds will play their third game in as many days when they make the two-hour trip west to the nation's capital, where they will face Carleton (2-3) on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Bishop's (5-1) has a week to get back on track before traveling to Peterborough, Ont., to confront Trent (6-1) on Oct. 8.

SCORING SUMMARY

CUFLA STANDINGS


SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca