AROUND OUA: Western kicks off 2016 with victory over Guelph
GUELPH, ON - With a chance to grab top spot in the OUA's Central Division on the line, the Gryphons women's basketball team dropped a disappointing 64-57 decision to the Western Mustangs at the W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre Saturday night.
SCOREBOARD
Western kicks off 2016 with victory over Guelph
GUELPH, ON - With a chance to grab top spot in the OUA's Central Division on the line, the Gryphons women's basketball team dropped a disappointing 64-57 decision to the Western Mustangs at the W.F. Mitchell Athletics Centre Saturday night.
Guelph (5-3) looked in position to rack up another a win when leading 45-40 early in the fourth quarter. But Western (5-3), led by fifth-year guard Caroline Wolynski, took over down the stretch, ultimately orchestrating a 24-12 run. Wolynski scored 4 of her team-high 18 points on back-to-back layups late in the fourth, helping put the game out of reach for the cold-shooting Gryphons. Guelph finished the night making just 22 of 69 field goal attempts (25.6 per cent in the second half), including just 2 of 13 from behind the arc.
The hosts had a hard time making shots from both the paint and outside, though Katherine MacTavish was her dominant self finishing the night with a game-high 19 points along with 8 rebounds. The fifth-year Waterloo, ON native entered the evening fourth in the OUA in field goal percentage (51.3 per cent) and she got off to a hot start by hitting her first four shots, including Guelph's first five points of the game. MacTavish was actually perfect shooting after two quarters, going 3-for-3 from the free throw line for 11 points in 16 first-half minutes.
She got some help inside with Vanessa Rampado chipping in 9 points and 5 rebounds, including a big three-point play late in the third quarter. Bridget Atkinson added 10 points, while Dana Van Balkom, responsible for Guelph's only two three-pointers, finished with 9 points and a game-high 6 assists.
Mackenzie Puklicz had 15 for the Mustangs but Wolynski was the key for Western. The Gryphons had a tough time handling the senior guard, who seemed to settle her team down early with a few successful drives to kickstart the offence. Wolynski had a good battle with Atkinson and it was the Guelph guard who started setting the tone in the second half by taking the ball hard to the basket. Wolynski had the final say with her definitive layups late in the game.
Guelph started out strong defensively causing a couple early shot clock violations that left Western in search of some flow. MacTavish got the Gryphons going on the offensive end with a couple buckets and a free throw, before a long Van Balkom three-pointer put Guelph up 14-6. But the Mustangs rallied and after rookie guard Laura Graham nailed a three, the Gryphons ended the first quarter up just a point at 16-15.
Notes: The Gryphons get back at it Friday, January 15 when they host the Windsor Lancers...Atkinson (5) and Van Balkom (4) combined for all 9 of Guelph's steals...The Gryphons were 0-for-6 on threes in the second half...former Western star Jenny Vaughan made her Gryphons coaching debut after having recently joined Christin Dickenson's staff as an assistant coach.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
Defending champs get better of Badgers
ST. CATHARINES, ON - The Brock University women's basketball team (5-2 OUA) dropped a 67-63 decision to the Windsor Lancers Saturday afternoon at the Bob Davis Gymnasium.
The Badgers jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, before the Lancers answered with eight of the next 11 points, tying the game 11-11 after one quarter. With just under four minutes left in the second quarter, Brock led 30-26. Windsor closed out the second quarter with the the final eight points, leading 34-30 at the break.
In the third, the teams played an even 10 minutes with Windsor holding onto a four-point lead 48-44 after 30 minutes.
Windsor put together a 13-2 run in the first five minutes of the final quarter thanks to the hot hand of Carly Steer who knocked down four straight three-pointers, to give the Lancers a 61-46 lead with 5:31 left in regulation. Brock would battle back, putting together a 14-2 run, to make it a three-point game 63-60 with less than a minute remaining. Windsor closed out the contest with four straight free throws escaping with a 67-63 road victory.
The Badgers had four starters in double figures led by Jenalyn Yumol (London, ON) who recorded 15 points and eight assists. Kira Cornelissen (Aylmer, ON) added 14 points and eight rebounds, while Melissa Tatti (Ancaster, ON) and Kayla Santilli (Brantford, ON) chipped in with 13 and 11 points respectively in the loss.
Windsor's Cheyanne Roger led all scorers finishing with 19 points and nine rebounds. 13 of her game high 19 came at the free throw line. Steer contributed with 17 points while Orian Amsalem chipped in with 10 points off the bench.
For the game, Brock shot 36.6% from the field going 26-for-72. They were held to just 16.7% (2-for-12) from beyond the arc and 81.8% (9-for-11) from the charity stripe. Windsor shot 34.0% (18-for-53) from the field, 35.3% (6-for-17) from long range and 83.3% (25-for-30) from the free throw line.
Source: Brock Badgers
