RECAP: #10 Ottawa downs Laurentian and Nipissing at home

RECAP: #10 Ottawa downs Laurentian and Nipissing at home

The U SPORTS tenth-ranked Gee-Gees women's basketball team defeated Laurentian and Nipissing by scores of 71-56 and 85-56 on Friday and Saturday respectively.

On Friday, Ottawa battled with the Voyageurs early, before pulling away with a barrage of three pointers late in the game to secure the win.

Natsuki Szczokin led the way for the Gee-Gees with 18 points, five rebounds, and two steals. Emily Payne was a strong presence inside for Ottawa, scoring 16 points to go along with five rebounds and two assists. Ariane Saumure rounded out Gee-Gees scoring in double-figures with a well-rounded 14-point, six-assist, and four-steal performance.

The fourth quarter was where Ottawa did most of their damage, outscoring Laurentian 23-7 in the final frame.

On Saturday, the Gee-Gees powered to a 28-8 first quarter to set the tone in what would eventually be a 29-point victory over the Nipissing Lakers.

Though the Lakers responded well in the second frame, the Gee-Gees once again put on a show in the fourth quarter to round out the weekend, outscoring the Lakers 25-9.

Szczokin once again led the way for the Gee-Gees with a 15-point, 12 assist double-double to go along with five steals and four assists. Fellow Barrie, Ont. native Payne had 14 points and six rebounds, while Bailey Russell added 12 points and five rebounds with four threes off the bench.

What They're Saying:

"It came down to our pride as a team and playing for each other, putting our teammates before ourselves. We work so hard, so sticking to our defensive principals that we kind of lost early was important to us." – Emily Payne on the fourth quarter burst against Laurentian.

What's Next:

The Gee-Gees will travel to Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. for a Friday night matchup with the Algoma Thunderbirds at 6 p.m. The game will be streaming live on OUA.tv.