Lakeland Rustlers Secure Victory Over RDP Kings in High-Intensity Match

Lloydminster, AB - The Lakeland College Rustlers men's futsal team delivered a commanding performance on home turf to kick off their tournament. With Lakeland ranked third in the north and their opponent RDP sitting second in the south, both teams came in looking to make a statement.

Right from the opening whistle, the game was played at a fast pace, though neither team found an early breakthrough. The first big chance came when Lakeland's Tyson Wagner broke away on a pass from number 5, Josh Malin, but his shot just missed the target. On the other end, Lakeland goalkeeper Orrin Edighoffer made a key save to deny the Kings, setting the tone for his outstanding performance.

It wasn't until the 18:20 mark that the Rustlers broke the deadlock. Wagner set up Benjamin Touw, who fired a powerful shot from outside the area, sending the home fans into a frenzy. Lakeland continued to build momentum, with Malin bringing relentless energy on both ends of the court. Just four minutes later, Gavin Quinlan doubled the lead, capitalizing on another strong offensive push.

The intensity carried into the second half as tempers flared. At the 21:00 mark, RDP's number 11 received a yellow card for chirping at the referee. Lakeland nearly extended their lead with three consecutive shots, but the Kings' defense held strong—one shot was blocked by number 10, while two others hit the post, drawing groans from the crowd.

Lakeland's defensive pressure continued to frustrate the Kings. Gavin Quinlan was booked for a yellow card at 15:04, adding to the game's physicality. Minutes later, the RDP goalie Bryan Murray was also handed a yellow card, followed by another yellow for Kings head coach Admir Sarcevic at 7:15. The tension in the gym peaked when a fan was ejected at 6:56, highlighting the high stakes of the matchup.

RDP finally found a breakthrough at the 4:45 mark, with Eshay Fernandes scoring to make it 2-1. However, the Rustlers responded immediately—just one minute later, Nathan Tran delivered the dagger, scoring Lakeland's third goal and restoring their two-goal cushion.

Edighoffer was the POG, making multiple key saves and keeping a perfect first half. Njegos Bajovic got the nod for the Kings, playing a key role defensively.