SYDNEY, N.S. (U SPORTS) - Haley McDonald had a game-high 26 points to lead the No. 7-seeded Acadia Axewomen to a 74-56 win over the No. 6 UQAM Citadins in the first consolation semi-final of the 2023 Protocase Women's Final 8, presented by Bell, at the Sullivan Field House in Sydney on Friday evening. McDonald, the first-team U SPORTS All-Canadian and player of the game for the Axewomen, was 4-for-10 from 3-point territory as Acadia secured their spot in the consolation final.
The first quarter featured back-and-forth action as both teams fought to extend their seasons by another game. The Axewomen held a narrow 19-18 lead after the opening ten minutes. The competitive nature of this game continued, with Acadia extending their lead to 37-30 at halftime.
The Citadins let the game slip away in the third quarter, as the Axewomen put a tight grip on the game and took a 14-point lead heading into the final frame. UQAM cut the lead to nine points midway through the last stanza, but that would be as close as they got. Acadia put their stamp on this one in the late stages, winning the game 74-56.
McDonald finished with a double-double, putting up 26 points and a game-high 10 assists for the Axewomen. The fifth-year guard added five rebounds and five steals as she led her team. Sarah Delorey added 12 points for Acadia. Last night's player of the game, Elizabeth Iseyemi posted 11 points and seven rebounds.
For UQAM, Fredlaine Verrier earned player of the game honours for her 16-point, 11-rebound double-double. The other Verrier sister, Fredlyne, finished the game with 13 points and six rebounds. Paule-Beline Ibata-Pondza also had a strong performance, chipping in seven points and seven rebounds while leading all players with 37 minutes.
The Axewomen win is their second win at a U SPORTS national championship. Their only other win before tonight came against Concordia in a semifinal consolation game at the 2019 U SPORTS Championship. Both wins in the program's history have been under the leadership of head coach Len Harvey.
With the win, the Axewomen advance to Sunday's consolation final, where they will play the winner of the Calgary-Cape Breton game at noon (Atlantic). UQAM's 2022-23 season comes to a close with the loss. All games at the championship can be seen on CBC Sports digital platforms (English) and at usports.ca (French).