Capers Hand Reds Second Straight Loss

(FREDERICTON, NB) The Cape Breton Capers completed a weekend sweep of the UNB Reds with a 72-63 win on Saturday afternoon.

Monique Calliste (Toronto, ON) led all scorers, dropping 24 points for the Capers.

"I thought we all played pretty well this weekend," said Capers guard Mackenzee Ryan (Glace Bay, NS), who contributed 14 points. "It's two great wins against a tough competitor in UNB."

The Reds immediately showed an interest in avenging Friday's loss, scoring the first two baskets of the game to open a 4-0 lead.

But, the capable Capers kept pace, building a 16-12 lead after one quarter.

With Cape Breton up by four late in the second, Grace Simpson (Fredericton, NB) forced a turnover deep inside the Capers zone. She scored and drew the foul, bringing the Reds to within one.

At the half, Cape Breton led 33-30.

Early in the third quarter, the Reds regained the lead 37-35, but the Capers quickly took it back, and never looked back.

Cape Breton led 51-43 after three quarters.

Jane Boyle (Halifax, NS) opened the fourth quarter with a three-point basket, but Ryan hit three three-pointers as the Capers pulled away, on route to the 72-63 win.

"I've been struggling to shoot the ball the past few games, but I worked hard over the break, so to see them go in was great," said Ryan. "I'm just trying to do what my team needs me to do."

Eva Tumwine (Fredericton, NB) led the Reds in scoring for the second straight game. She had 18 points.

Mikaela Dodig (Bolton, ON) added 15 and Simpson scored 14.

The Reds got just seven points off their bench.

"Cape Breton is a very good basketball team. It's definitely frustrating," said Reds head coach Jeff Speedy. "We make mistakes most possessions, like most teams do, but it seemed to me that they really capitalized on our mistakes and had the poise to make the right read when we made a mistake, and find the exact right player, and she had the confidence to knock the shot down. And, I felt when they made mistakes, we kind of panicked and rushed for whatever reason."

The Reds are now 6-5, currently tied for third in the Atlantic University Sport standings.

Four of UNB's five losses have come against the Capers.

"I don't know what's more frustrating, losing two in a row at home or losing four games to the same team in a year," said Speedy. "You're going to have to play well to beat that team at home, on the road, or neutral site."

With the win, Cape Breton is now 9-1 and are back in action on Wednesday, at St FX for a 6:00pm start.

UNB goes on the road next weekend for a pair of four-point games, at Acadia on Friday, and at Saint Mary's on Saturday.

RECAP BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics