By Jason Stephens
WSL Idaho Correspondent

BOISE, Idaho -- Sophomore middie Sayre Thomas registered a game-high five points on four goals and an assist to lead fifth-seeded Boise to a 10-7 victory over fourth-seeded Bishop Kelly in a Treasure Valley Lacrosse League quarterfinal Tuesday night.

Sophomore attackman Patrick Erstad scored two goals, and senior attackman Jack Boren added two points on a goal and an assist to help the Braves (12-4) advance to the TVLL semifinals. Boise will next face top-seeded Timberline on Thursday at 6 p.m., MDT.

“Teamwork won us this game,” Boise head coach Sean St. Johns said. “Everyone on our team adds something to the game, and in a game like this it's all about the effort. We came here to win, we felt confident about our dodging and we did what we had to do.”

Senior middie Riley McNeal, senior middie Chris Tierney and senior attackman Nick Voulelis all scored once, and senior middie Eric Straubhar and junior attackman Sam Hardison each dished an assist to round out the offense for Boise.

“We came out strong early on,” Thomas said. “We had to punch them in the mouth early for this win, and we did. On Thursday, we'll have to improve on our shooting. Timberline's weakness is their goalie, and to win we'll need to be shooting well.”

In defeat, senior attackman John Liposchak scored three goals, senior attackman John Fery posted two goals and sophomore middie Patrick Tunison added a goal and an assist for the Knights, who finished the season 11-6.

Senior middie Nick Gamboa scored a goal, and sophomore middie Jesse Rohr and senior defense Lance Maffuccio each dished an assist for Bishop Kelly.

With the game tied 3-3 in the third quarter, Straubhar dished to Thomas, who rolled right at the top of the box and scored left on a low shot to give Boise the lead.

The goal sparked a four-goal run that Voulelis capped when Hardison picked up a ground ball at X and fed him near the crease. Voulelis rolled out with the goalie and beat him to the center of the crease to make it 7-3 with 8:33 remaining in the first half.

Boise held onto at least a three-goal lead for the rest of the game, answering every Bishop Kelly goal.

Tierney scored the final goal for the Braves with 5:21 remaining in regulation when he scooped up a ground ball near the crease, then buried it low to make it 10-6. 

“This is a great group of guys,” Bishop Kelly head coach Blake Gaudet said. “I hate to see them go, but it's the little things that matter in the playoffs. Today, we didn't play our best game, and Boise played a great game, but it's a tough way to end the season.”