By Larry Read
TRU Sports Information Officer
KAMLOOPS, BC--- Being back on home court didn't prove to be an advantage for the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack women's basketball team. The Pack returned from a four game Canada West road trip to lose the first of a weekend set with the visiting University of Lethbridge Pronghorns. The score Friday (Nov 17) on the Warner Rentals court was 75-53.
The Pronghorns are unbeaten in their first seven starts. TRU falls to 4-3.
SYNOPSIS
It was run and gun for the first quarter as the WolfPack and Pronghorns were tied before a late run gave Lethbridge a 24-17 lead thanks to six points from Kacie Bosch and Zoe Dahl. Lethbridge led by 16 at the the break (43-27) and were up 22 at three quarters time (59-37).
The WolfPack did win the fourth quarter offensively 16-14.
This was the first regular season appearance for Lethbridge at the TCC since 2013.
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS:
KEY STATS:
Thompson Rivers :
Michelle Bos (4th year guard, Surrey, BC) 12 points, 6 rebounds (3 each side), 4 assists in 29 mins
Emily Vilac (4th year, forward, Kamloops, BC) 9 points, 11 rebounds (6 on def), 2 steals in 24 mins
Leilani Carney (3rd year guard, Burnaby, BC) 8 points, 4 rebounds (3 on def), 2 assists, 1 block 1 steal in 30 min
Emma Piggin (4th year, guard, Kamloops, BC) 6 points, 2 def rebounds, 3 steals, in 15 mins
Kanesha Reeves (4th year, guard, Kamloops, BC) 6 points in 21 mins
Lethbridge:
Kathryn Hankins (4th year, post, Chehalis, WA) 14 points, 4 rebounds (2 each side), 2 steals in 20 mins
Kacie Bosch (3rd year guard, Lethbridge, AB) 14 points, 7 rebounds (5 on def), 3 steals, 1 assist in 24 mins
Danielle Fritzke (4th year wing, Medicine Hat, AB) 9 points, 3 def rebounds, 1 assist 18 mins
Katie Keith (3rd year wing, Lethbridge, AB) 8 points, 13 rebounds (8 on def), 2 assists, in 24 mins
Zoe Dahl (5th year wing, Calgary, AB) 8 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists in 21 mins
Turnovers:
LETHBRIDGE 24 TRU 22
Score by Periods:
TRU 17 10 10 16 --53
LETHBRIDGE: 21 19 16 14 --73
RECORD:
LETHBRIDGE 7-0 TRU 4-3
QUOTES:
TRU assistant coach Chuck Ferguson:
Battle of the Boards and his team came up short: "Wasn't that the truth. It was a pretty even game in the area of rebounds. The difference was that they turned their offensive rebounds into points. We turned ours into turnovers or poorly executed offense. We had 72 shots. That is enough to win a game. When you shoot 20 per cent from the three and 19 per cent from the floor it is tough to win any game."
Video of post game interview: here
Lethbridge associate coach Dave Waknuk:
On being 7-0 "Really happy with our defensive effort. Holding a team to 10 in two quarters against a high offensive team like this is big. It set the tone for the offense. Its been a while since the University of Lethbridge was unbeaten in seven. It says a lot for the effort the girls have put in. Its been a slow build. We won only five games all last season. To be 7-0 in the first seven is a good place but we can't stop there. They (TRU) will come out tough against us tomorrow."
Rebounding was the key: "Especially from the guard position. Crashing the boards like that. Happy with that. Anytime you can rebound it helps. A Stop leads the offense."
Video of post game interview: here
UP NEXT:
The WolfPack and Pronghorns will end their weekend series tomorrow (Saturday Nov 18) on the Warner Rentals court. Tip off will be 5 pm. Friday's game was TRU's contribution to the "USPORTS Shoot for a Cure". Proceeds from the game were raised for the CIBC Run for the Cure initiative. $340 was raised.
The game was also a fundraiser for the 2017 TRUly United (United Way) campaign.
OF NOTE:
The "TRU Bookstore/McDonalds Leader of the Pack" Player of the game was Vilac.