The Gryphons women’s basketball team went up against the Laurentian Voyagers on Nov. 20, 2015, with the Gryphons coming into the game 3-1 on the season and the Voyageurs coming off of a recent close win over York. Both teams were looking to put another win on the board as they prepared for the tip-off at Guelph’s WF Mitchell Athletic Centre.
The game began with high enthusiasm and great energy in the gym as the action got underway. The Gryphons’ guard Dana Van Balkom had a strong first quarter that carried through the entire game, while on the defensive end, second-year guard Megan Brenkel joined the action with three steals for the Gryphons in the fourth quarter alone. Meanwhile, the Voyageurs offence seemed to be relying on three-point shots, with four 3-pointers made in the first quarter and only two of their field goals made inside the arc. The first quarter ended with a score of 17-15 for the Gryphons.
The second quarter opened with a continuous back and forth game, keeping both sides on their toes. The Gryphons saw nine turnovers against them in the second quarter, and Laurentian was able to capitalize on Guelph’s ball management for a total of 11 points off turnovers in the first half. The Voyageurs went on to outscore the Gryphons 18-17 in the second quarter to finish off the first half with a close score of 34-33 for the Gryphons. The Gryphons were out-shot from the arc by the Voyageurs, who closed out the second quarter shooting 38.5 per cent from the arc and 46.2 per cent from the field while the Gryphons went for 37 per cent from the field and 27 per cent from the three-point line. The Gryphons were able to pick up their pace in the second half of the game. Late in the third quarter, the Gryphons went for a 7-0 run on the Voyageurs and ended the quarter up 53-49, and carried this momentum forward into the fourth. In the last quarter of play, the charge continued as the Gryphons increased the lead with a 13-0 run. Kate MacTavish had a great shooting stroke in the fourth, putting up 10 points, but the scorer of the night was Van Balkom, with 10 of her 27 points for the night in the final quarter. She shot 10-17 from the field and 50 per cent from the arc. The Gryphons outscored the Laurentian Voyageurs 29-14 in the fourth and went on to win 82-63. A notable performance came from the Voyageurs’ fifth-year guard Adrienne Moreau, who finished the night with 21 points but the Gryphons were too much to handle in the last quarter of play.
Both sides had impressive jump-shooting records for the night: neither team had any fast break points in the entire game, and both the Gryphons and Voyageurs also put up zero points in the paint.
The Gryphons have improved to a 5-1 season record after also defeating the Nipissing Lakers 71-32 at home on Saturday. Their next game will be on the road on Nov. 28, 2015 against the 4-2 McMaster Marauders.