Cascades fall at buzzer to Thunderbirds, 60-58, at Envision Athletic Centre
The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades women’s basketball team were defeated tonight by the CIS number three ranked UBC Thunderbirds, 60-58, at the Envision Athletic Centre. The Cascades regular season record falls to 11-6, good for second place in the West Division of the Canada West conference. The Thunderbirds record improves to 13-3, and first place in the West Division.
Like last night the Thunderbirds came out strong and establish a lead but unlike last night, UFV stayed close from the start trailing only by four points after the first quarter. In the second, UBC held the Cascades offense to nine points, while upping their lead to nine points at the break. UFV was led by Aieisha Luyken, Mission, BC, Sarah Wierks, Chilliwack, BC and Nicole Wierks, Chilliwack, BC all with 4 points. Kayli Sartori, Chilliwack, BC led the Cascades with 5 total rebounds. The Cascades shot 25% from the floor in the first half.
The second half was one of the most exciting halves in recent memory at the Envision Athletic Centre with UFV storming back in the third quarter to trail by two points going into the final quarter. The lead changed hands numerous times in the fourth quarter as both teams hit key baskets to regain the lead, with two minutes remaining UFV had its largest lead of the night by four points, but UBC would not quit scoring two key baskets late to tie the game and when Zara Huntley, Halifax, NS was fouled with four tenths of a second left, she hit both free throws to give UBC the victory.
“Really gritty performance tonight. We knew UBC would come out with a strong effort and they really had us playing their game for the first 25 minutes. Mid-way through the 3rd we started to force the tempo a bit and we got ourselves right back in the game, giving ourselves for a win at the end,” said UFV head coach Al Tuchscherer. “Tough call at the end, but ultimately the correct call with less than a second to play.”
Tessa quote: just such a pro. Really going to miss her leadership and the personality she brings to our team. Her attention to detail is unparalleled, the example she set for our young player in our program will be her lasting legacy for many years to come.
Tessa quote: just such a pro. Really going to miss her leadership and the personality she brings to our team. Her attention to detail is unparalleled, the example she set for our young player in our program will be her lasting legacy for many years to come.
UFV was led by Luyken with 15 points Tessa Klassen scored 9 points and recorded 6 assists. Sartori led UFV with 8 total rebounds. The Thunderbirds Huntley led all UBC players with a 15 point performance and 9 total boards as UBC out rebounded UFV 39 to 38 for the game.
The Cascades say goodbye to Tessa Klassen, a fifth year guard from Winnipeg, Manitoba, who played in her final regular season game tonight at the Envision Athletic Centre. Klassen had a brilliant Canada West career playing three years at the University of Manitoba for the Bisons and two at UFV with the Cascades.
“Just such a professional, really going to miss her leadership and the personality she brings to our team. Her attention to detail is unparalleled, the example she set for our young player in our program will be her lasting legacy for many years to come,” said Tuchscherer about his starting guard.
Tessa Klassen
UBC 19 14 13 14 = 60 (13-3)
UFV 15 9 20 14 = 58 (11-6)
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