X-Women fall to Capers in AUS quarterfinal

Halifax, NS – The fifth seeded Cape Breton Capers defeated the fourth seeded STFX X-Women 61-57 in the AUS quarterfinal game Friday afternoon at the Bell AUS Championship at Scotiabank Centre.

AUS first team all-star Kiyara Letlow was the player of the game as she scored 14 points for the Capers and pulled down 14 rebounds for a double-double game. Chermensa Van La Parra also scored 14 and Hannah Smith netted 13.

Shannon Neita led the X-Women with 15 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double game, while Lauren Neeve scored 11 and Ali Oluyole contributed 10 points.

The opening quarter was a closely contested affair with both teams exchanging hoops and neither team holding more than a four-point lead throughout. The Capers were up 19-16 after the first.

Both teams struggled out of the gate to start the second quarter. The X-Women failed to make a basket in the opening three and a half minutes. Trailing 23-16, a timeout helped them refocus and Mali Straker made three consecutive baskets to get the X-Women back into the game.

The Capers answered at the other end, however, and kept a lead throughout the quarter. A three-pointer by Van La Parra gave the Capers a 33-22 advantage with 2:35 left in the half.

Hannah Smith drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Capers a 10-point halftime lead, 36-26.

Van La Parra started off the third quarter with consecutive three-pointers for Cape Breton as they got out to a 16-point lead.

The X-Women fought back and upped their defensive game. A seven-point run closed the deficit to nine points - 42-33 – midway through the quarter.

Lauren Neeve nailed a three with 20 seconds left in the quarter to close it out with the X-Women trailing by six points, 46-40 after 30 minutes. The X-Women outscored the Capers 14-10 in the low scoring frame.

The Capers scored a quick five points to begin the fourth quarter that bumped their lead to 11 points, 51-40.

STFX then did a great job of shutting down the Capers offense but struggled to make baskets at the opposite end.

Cape Breton made key shots when needed to hold onto their lead including a three from Hailey MacLeod with 2:25 to play that upped their advantage to 58-49.

STFX AUS all-rookie forward Ali Oluyole went down with a knee injury with two minutes in the game after putting in key minutes for the White and Blue.

The X-Women trailed by six points, 58-52 with a minute to play in the game. Time wasn't on their side to mount a comeback and the Capers closed out the game with the 61-57 win.

Cape Breton now advances to the AUS semifinal game Saturday at 1:00 pm against Saint Mary's, while the X-Women sees their playoff run come to an end.

-30-

Recap courtesy Krista McKenna, STFX Athletics