VICTORIA, BC – Sports – (With files from Andy Watson) A third quarter run and some timely shooting by U Vic forward Sarah Semeniuk and guard Jenny Lewis aided the U Vic Vikes in a 70-56 win over the Lakehead Thunderwolves in exhibition women’s basketball play at McKinnon Gymnasium.
It was the first home win for Vikes head coach Rich Chambers in his first season with the team.
In the first quarter, the Thunderwolves lost fifth-year senior and forward Lindsay Druery with what looked like an ankle injury. The Thunderwolves, however, led 17-14 after the opening 10 minutes. Druery did come back into the game for the second half and had a team-high 10 points. Carolyn Fragale also had 10 points along with four boards.
In the second quarter, improved Vikes half-court defence allowed them to claw back into the game but untimely fouls cost them.
However, a great run of scrappy play midway through the second quarter allowed the Vikes to tie the game and then retake the lead. Back-to-back Semeniuk baskets make it 25-23 for UVIc, and then four offensive boards in a row, and Semeniuk’s playoff-like intensity gave her squad the momentum.
UVic opened the third quarter on a 12-5 run, en route to a 27-11 cushion in the period to build a 58-38 lead entering the fourth. The largest lead for UVic was a 23-point spread late in the third quarter, with the Vikes spreading double-digit scoring among three players.
In the fourth Lakehead outscored the Vikes 18-12 but they could not make up for their 24 turnovers that resulted in 25 Vikes points.
UVic outscored the Thunderwolves 34-18 in the paint and shot 44 per cent on the game. They held Lakehead to just three three-pointers on 21 attempts.
Lakehead coach Jon Kreiner commented, “We came out really well, posting an early 19-14 lead but we struggled in the 3rd quarter (27-11) and some of our players took themselves out of the game mentally. Overall there were some real good things and if we shot better from 3 (3-21) and took care of the ball (24 TO’s) we would have had a better fate. We now must regroup for a very good UBC team tomorrow”.
The lady T-Wolves go against the UBC Thunderbirds tomorrow evening as they continue their exhibition west coast swing. Game time is 10 pm eastern.
Live stats for the game (beginning at 10 pm eastern) will be available at: www.gothunderbirds.ca