The UFV Cascades women’s basketball team (10-4) has snuck into playoff form this weekend with a dominant two win performance against the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack (7-7). While the Cascades did not manage to recreate Friday’s 26 point first quarter lead tonight, they still carried the day with a 75-67 road win. UFV is now only two wins out of the current three-way tie (Alberta, Regina, and Saskatchewan) for top of the Canada West.
Consistent shooting and defense have been a problem for the Cascades recently, and at times they’ve seemed like a different team quarter to quarter. This weekend, under the reinvigorated leadership of fifth year guard Aieisha Luyken, UFV looks to have solved those problems and a number of others besides. Luyken had 11 points tonight and 27 on the weekend, going a combined 7 for 16 from beyond the arc. Her continued production will be integral to UFV’s hopes in the postseason.
The initiative changed hands numerous times tonight as neither team could pull away and establish an enduring lead. At one point in the first UFV led by nine, but that was the largest gap of the night in a game that was tied as late as the seventh minute of the fourth quarter. WolfPack forward Kassie Colonna and guard Taiysa Worsfold (22 and 20 points respectively) were the heroes of the ‘Pack attack, and shot a combined 16-23 from the free-throw line.
Once again the Cascades were able to rely heavily on their bench, a blessing that became a necessity as foul call flew fast and furious against both teams. Only one UFV player was held from the scoreboard, and no player on either team avoided at least one personal foul.
The Cascades were led by Kayli Sartori with 17 points, and Nicole Wierks with 13. Five of Wierks’s points came in the last three minutes of the fourth quarter as UFV pulled away to win the game.
“Gutsy win tonight against a very determined TRU team,” said Cascades head coach Al Tuchscherer. “The women had to overcome a lot of foul issues that put a lot of pressure on our bench. I thought they did a great job playing through that and getting an important win for us.”
The Cascades will take on the UBCO Heat next weekend at the Envision Athletic Centre in Abbotsford. Watch the game online at canadawest.tv
*With files from TRU SIO Larry Read
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