The Utah Archers defeated the California Redwoods 13-12 in an overtime thriller at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday. Jack VanOverbeke, making his professional debut, scored the winning goal for the Archers after a back-and-forth battle that saw multiple lead changes.
The game started with Mac O'Keefe scoring early for Utah off an assist from Grant Ament. Rob Pannell quickly responded for California, showcasing his creativity and physicality with a backhanded shot past Brett Dobson. Tom Schreiber added another goal for Utah before leaving the game due to a shoulder injury.
Ament was instrumental throughout, finishing with two goals and three assists. Connor Fields also contributed with two goals, while Ryan Ambler stepped up in Schreiber's absence, netting two crucial goals including one where he went airborne through traffic.
For the Redwoods, Charlie Bertrand had a standout performance with four goals including a late-game two-pointer that tied it up at 12 apiece. Pannell continued to be effective as both scorer and playmaker, adding one goal and three assists.
Goaltender Jack Kelly kept California competitive by making numerous saves under challenging conditions caused by direct sunlight affecting visibility on the field.
Despite losing their star player early on due to concerns over Schreiber's right shoulder -- he was seen later wearing a sling -- the Archers managed to rally together led by rookies such as VanOverbeke, who also scored a goal and assisted Dyson Williams in regulation time.
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