(ANTIGONISH, N.S.) - Melissa Gottschall scored 22 of her game-high 29 points in the second half as the StFX X-Women (3-4) defeated the UNB Varsity Reds (5-3) 81-71 in AUS basketball action Saturday afternoon.
More than 300 fans watched the Antigonish native and Subway player of the game complete her career best scoring effort.
"It is an amazing feeling. We needed this win badly and we worked hard to get it," Gottschall, an X-Women co-captain, said after the game. The junior guard also collected four rebounds and three assists in the win.
Junior forward Lindsay Lessard (Waterloo, Ont.) contributed 22 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal.
Guard Alana Lawn (Brockville, Ont.) led a stellar bench-effort from the X-Women with nine points, three rebounds and one assist, while Jamellia Clark added six points, five rebounds and one assist.
"We fed off each other's energy throughout the game," Gottschall said.
For the Varsity Reds, Grace Wade (Moncton, N.B.) scored 21 points, while Rachel Cleary (Brantford, Ont.) added 11. Former X-Women forward Kiley DeLong (St. John's, Nfld.) contributed 12 points and six rebounds in the loss.
The X-Women led 35-27 at halftime.
"We are coming together; we are playing as a team," X-Women guard Courtney Kilyk (Fonthill, Ont.) said at the break.
"We are moving the ball well and we need to continue to do that in the second half." Kilyk contributed six points, two rebounds, four assists and three steals to the StFX attack.
The game marked the final one of the first half of the AUS season as teams break for the holidays. The X-Women will be competing in the Dyrick McDermott Invitational at Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax Jan. 2 and 3.
They will play exhibition contests against Mount Allison, Mount Saint Vincent and St. Thomas.
The X-Women return to the court for AUS regular season action when they host the rival Cape Breton University Capers Tuesday, Jan. 6. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at Oland Centre.
The Varsity Reds will be back in action Friday, Jan. 9, when the Saint Mary's Huskies visit Fredericton.
Source: StFX Sports Information