Panthers Hold Off Reds

(FREDERICTON, NB) The UNB Reds were defeated 66-60 by the UPEI Panthers on Saturday night, in a four-point game.

Jenna Mae Ellesworth (Charlottetown, PE) had a game-high 31 points and five rebounds to earn the Subway Player of the Game nod.

The Reds had a hot start with a 10-2 run early in the first quarter.

The Panthers responded with a run of their own, an 11-4 run, to cancel that slow start and would trail UNB just 22-17 after the first quarter.

The Reds would see their offence stifled in the second as the Panthers kept them to just five points in the quarter to take a 33-27 lead at half-time.

"They came out hard, we just had to settle in and get into our game," said Ellesworth. "We were back on our heels there, but once we got into the flow of things, we were back into it and playing our game."

UNB was unable to make up any ground in the third as both teams dropped 15 points in the quarter for a 48-42 Panthers lead heading to the fourth.

In the final quarter, the Reds had a strong push to try and tie it, but fell short in the final minutes, 66-60.

Grace Simpson (Fredericton, NB) led the Reds with 18 points and six rebounds while Krystal Osbourn (Nottawa, ON) had 12 points and nine rebounds.

Lauren Rainford (Toronto, ON) added 12 points and two rebounds for the Panthers.

With the loss, the Reds are 7-and-8, while UPEI improves to 12-and-2. These two teams will meet again next Friday in Charlottetown. Game time is 6:00pm.

RECAP BY: Jonathon James/for UNB Athletics

PHOTOS BY: James West/for UNB Athletics