BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Former Indiana University star Shae Fournier (Winnipeg, Manitoba/Grant Park) racked up four goals, three assists, four steals and a field block in 19:24 of playing time, while current Hoosier Kelly Matthews (Sr., Roxboro, Quebec, Canada/St. Thomas) posted three goals and an assist in 14:29 as Canada upended the United Kingdom/Great Britain, 24-5, in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) to reach the quarterfinals of the 29th Summer Universiade/University Games.
The win closes out Group A play and advances Canada into a quarterfinal clash with the United States on Saturday, August 26, at 6:00 p.m. local time.
It marks the third consecutive game in which the Indiana duo combined for three or more goals as Fournier collected a pair of markers with a steal and a field block, while Matthews notched a solo strike with a steal as Canada slipped against Japan, 12-11, on Thursday, August 24. Against Hungary on Tuesday, August 22, Fournier scored twice with a steal and Matthews chipped in single marker in an 8-5 victory.
Fournier, who posted a hat-trick in a 15-4 defeat of New Zealand to open the tournament on Friday, August 18, prior to notching another three goal output in a 17-11 loss to the Russian Federation on Sunday, August 20, now has 14 goals, four assists, seven steals and two field blocks in 100:11, while Matthews, who notched a single goal against Hungary to go along with a goal and a field block versus New Zealand, has six goals, an assist, a steal and a field block in 61:48. Matthews did not post a statistic against the Russian Federation.
Canada never trailed against Great Britain thanks to building a 5-0 lead in the opening moments of the first quarter. Leading 5-1 after a quarter of action, Canada pushed the margin to 9-4 by halftime before constructing a 15-5 at the conclusion of the third quarter. The squad finished off the contest by outscoring the United Kingdom by a 9-0 count in the fourth quarter for the 19-score victory.
