Briana Shymanski/Rocky View Publishing

Devan Knittle of the Rockyview Silvertips keeps his eye on the ball before throwing a pass to a teammate against the Edmonton Warriors, June 3. The Warriors defeated the Silvertips 8-7.

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Silvertips play a close game despite being outnumbered

The Rockyview Silvertips played its closest game of the season despite the fact that it was outnumbered, June 3. The team lost to the Edmonton Warriors 8-7.

“It was a great effort,” said Silvertips Head Coach Gord Henry. “We were only running with nine or 10 guys (to their 18) and we outworked them. We outplayed and outhustled them. ”

Johnathon Reneau, who is playing his first year of lacrosse with the Silvertips, scored his first goal of the season while Patrick Sloboda and Brett Goodwin also added single goals. Devan Knittle led the team’s scoring with four goals.

“We started off really good,” said Knittle. “We played the whole (game) fast paced and took it to them. We just let off a bit in the third period and let them get under our skin, and that’s what gave them the win.”

Despite having eight less players than the Warriors, Henry was pleased how the Silvertips were able to keep pace with their opponent, but a penalty-filled second period shifted the momentum in favour of the Warriors. The Silvertips took a 3-2 lead into the third period, but the Warriors came out with the 8-7 win.

“(The penalties) got them back in the game even though we were still winning,” Henry said.

“What it does is, when we have all the momentum, even when it’s a tight game and we’re controlling the game, they score and it keeps us from playing our game. You don’t want to give a team any edge, especially when you’re running with eight or nine guys. That hurt us a little bit.”

The loss is the Silvertips’ third in a row after recording its first win of the season, May 22, against the Calgary Chill.

In between its win against the Chill and the loss against the Warriors, the team lost 22-5 to the Red Deer Rampage and 9-5 to the Calgary Jr. Mounties. However, Henry is encouraged by the smaller margin of the past two games.

“The boys are getting it and it’s the work ethic (they have),” he said. “There’s no quit in these kids. If we could find some goal scoring, our record wouldn’t be like it is.”

The Silvertips next game will be June 10 at the Pete Knight Arena in Crossfield as it takes on the Calgary Shamrocks. Game time is 3 p.m.