The Vancouver Warriors fell 13-10 to the Toronto Rock on Women in Sports Night at Rogers Arena.
Vancouver found themselves trailing 10-3 at halftime, but opened the third quarter with a four-goal run to pull within three. The closest they would come to closing the gap was three goals for the remainder of the game.
The Warriors struggled to get shots on target in the first half, and Head Coach and GM Curt Malawsky said it was a tale of two halves.
“We were really sloppy in the first half. We missed the net over 20 times, which is absolutely unacceptable, and then we only missed the net eight times in the second half. You want to keep it below 20 for an overall game. So that was the tough part about that, and then we cheated a couple times out our back end and I thought that that hurt us,” Malawsky said.
“I did like the resiliency, I like the pushback, and at the end we just had some chances that didn't fall – Nicky Rose played really well.”
Rose, Toronto’s goaltender, made his return after being placed on the injured reserve on January 19th. After missing six games, the 2024 NLL Goaltender of the Year made his comeback against the Warriors.
Warriors’ forward, Jesse King, who finished the night with two goals and three assists, said the forward group got back to their identity in the second half.
"We got back to what we do best: We play fast, hard, and we get to the middle of the floor offensively. In the first half, we were just so methodical and a little bit slow, and credit to them, like they played physical on the back end, and they made us play that way. So, we let them dictate a little bit [in the first half],” King said.
The Warriors played a double header last weekend, and their game against the Rock marked their third game in eight days. In the final stretch of the season, King acknowledged fatigue can creep in, but it’s something the team has to push through.
"It's definitely tough, but it's not an excuse for us. When we get to the playoffs, we're going to have to do that exact same thing. So, we're going to have to figure out a way to rebound and play a little bit better in those scenarios,” King said.
Warriors forward Marcus Klarich led Vancouver with five goals and one assist on the night, including four goals in the second half.
“He played very well,” Malawsky said. “It wasn't just flogging the ball from the outside, it was getting right to the dirty areas in the middle of the floor. That's a physical defence, and he got to the middle, and finished well - especially around the crease – he's clutch in there. The biggest thing for a young guy is consistency, so hopefully he takes that effort and that jam and brings it to Georgia with him, because he played exceptional.”
King said his fellow lefty forward provided a spark for their team in the second half, and the work the 23-year-old forward has been putting in is paying off.
“Marcus thrives in those fast environments. When he's playing fast, and he's getting to the middle floor, he's such a dynamic player. I'm really proud of him to get what's been coming to him for a little while now,” King said.
Malawsky talked about what Women in Sports Night means to him, noting the time he spent with Canadian Women’s Box Lacrosse team at the 2024 World Box Lacrosse Championships in Ithaca, New York was special and the growing women’s sports landscape in the country and the Lower Mainland.
“They're a big part of our culture, our community, and it was a special night to honour them. I thought it was really well put on by our organization,” Malawsky said.
Up next for the Warriors is a trip to Georgia to take on the Swarm next Saturday, March 14th, at 4:30 p.m. PT at Gas South Arena.
The Warriors are back at Rogers Arena for St. Paddy’s Night, Friday, March 20th, to take on the Ottawa Black Bears at 7:00 p.m. PT.
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