Western defeats UNB 82-66 in SF #1: CIS womenâ??s basketball Eastern Regional

FREDERICTON (CIS) – Western defeats UNB 82-66 in the first CIS women’s basketball Eastern Regional. Advances to final tomorrow at 4:00 pm

 

CIS championship website: http://english.cis-sic.ca/championships/wbkb

 

In the first semi-final of the CIS women’s basketball Eastern Regional tournament, the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds hosted the Mustangs from the University of Western Ontario. This game would see the winner move on for an opportunity to play either the University of Toronto or the University of the Fraser Valley for a chance to go to the CIS women’s basketball National Championship in Windsor, Ontario from March 18^th-20^th.

 

In front of a wild crowd at the Lady Beaverbrook Gymnasium in Fredericton, the V-Reds got off to a hot start but cooled off and in spite of early foul trouble for Western, the V-Reds trailed 20-15 after the first. Leading the first quarter charge for the Mustangs was sophomore guard Jenny Vaughan with 10 points while fifth year senior Matteke Hutzler chipped in with six. UNB was led by fifth year senior point guard Leah Corby who had five points.

 

The second quarter started with Western racing out of the gate with five quick points but the V-Reds were able to answer with an athletic tip-in by second year guard Laura Fowler and back-to-back baskets by fifth year post Amanda Sharpe forcing Western into the game’s first time-out. Despite shooting only 29% from the floor and 20% from behind the arc, the V-Reds were able to keep it close, trailing 36-33 at the half. Jenny Vaughan led the Mustangs with 13 first-half points and she was complimented by Huttzler who threw in 12. UNB had a balanced attack with six players with three points or more led by Amanda Sharpe and Leah Corby who had nine and eight points respectively.

 

The poor shooting for UNB continued into the third quarter but they were able to rebound and defend well enough to tie the score with seven minutes to go in the frame. The Mustangs responded with a 7-0 run to stretch their lead to 45-38 which would be the catalyst for their 55-46 lead going into the fourth and final. UNB was led in the quarter by Sharpe with seven points but Huttzler responded with seven of her own.

 

The pace of the fourth quarter was no different from the rest of the game. With the crowd behind them, the V-Reds were able to trim the lead to five with just over seven minutes left but Western responded again with defensive stands and offensive execution to stretch their lead to 68-54 with 4:09 left in the game. UNB made a valiant effort but it was too little, too late as Western came out on top with a final score of 82-66. The leading scorers for the Mustangs were Matteke Huttzler with 29 points and Jenny Vaughan with 20. The V-Reds were led by Amanda Sharpe with 23 and Leah Corby with 19.

 

 

Western’s head coach Stephan Barrie was extremely pleased with the effort that his team put forward. “Our girls played really well. We battled through a lot of adversity, as we have for the second half of the season” said Barrie after the game. “Our best player was [Jacklyn Selfe] out so players had to redefine their roles and they did a great job of that tonight.” Barrie has a great deal of respect for the UNB team who had beaten his Mustangs earlier in the season. “We knew UNB was going to be tough… They are a very dangerous team in terms of their transition offense and some of their key kids are big time CIS players”. 

 

The Mustangs now await the winner of the second semi-final between the University of Toronto and the University of the Fraser Valley. “We have to make sure we get rest tonight… And we have to prepare like we have for every single other game this year” said coach Barrie. The final is slated for tomorrow afternoon at 4:00 pm. 

 
Stats Leaders
Western

Points: Matteke Huttzler (29), Jenny Vaughan (20)

Rebounds: Matteke Huttzler (11), Jenny Vaughan (7)

Assists: Jenny Vaughan (5), Laura Dally (2), Lacey Knox (2)

 

Player of the game: Matteke Huttzler

 

Points: Amanda Sharpe (23), Leah Corby (19)

Rebounds: Amanda Sharpe (13), Emma Russell (8)

Assists: Emma Russell (9), Amanda Sharpe (4)

 

Player of the game: Amanda Sharpe

 

 

18:00 Semifinal #1: Western Ontario 82 vs. UNB 66

20:00 Semifinal #2: Fraser Valley vs. Toronto (SSN Canada webcast)

 

16:00 Final (SSN Canada webcast)