Axewomen edge Capers in back-and-forth AUS basketball battle

By Corey LeBlanc

Sydney, N.S. – In a see-saw battle marked with plenty of playoff-like intensity, the Acadia Axewomen (10-3) defeated the Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (7-7) 80-73 in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) basketball action at Sullivan Fieldhouse on Saturday afternoon. 

Coming off a loss to the Capers on the previous evening, the first-place Axewomen came out aggressively on defense while focussing on getting out on the fast break.

Nevertheless, the teams traded baskets with Acadia taking a 12-9 edge midway through the first quarter.

Sparked by the dominance of Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON) on the interior, the Capers went on a 9-1 spurt to take a 23-15 advantage.

The Axewomen answered with five consecutive points to end the opening frame, including a Bianca Helmig (Speyer, DEU) lay-up – after she weaved her way through the Caper defense – and a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Samantha Russell (Dartmouth, NS).

Led by Letlow – who finished with 10 points and six rebounds – the Capers were up 23-20 after the first quarter.

Keyed by the athleticism of Hailey Macleod (Marion Bridge, NS), CBU continued to control the inside, which ignited a 10-4 burst to start the second quarter, and the Capers led 33-24.

Fifth-year guard Haley McDonald (Port Williams, NS) helped the Axewomen answer with a 10-4 spurt, which included an old-school three-point play from the All-Canadian.

The final four minutes of the first half see-sawed, with both teams able to find the hoop.

Russell scored with 31 seconds remaining to give the Axewomen a 46-45 edge heading to the locker room.

In a fast-paced – and, at times – helter skelter – third quarter, Acadia took its largest lead – at 52-47 – on the strength of a pair of free throws from Olivia Moller (Bedford, NS).

CBU's twin towers answered, with Macleod draining a three-point shot and Letlow fashioning a rainbow reverse lay-up from the low post to make it 52-52.

Midway through the stanza, on a three-pointer from Mackenzee Ryan (Glace Bay, NS), the Capers regained the lead at 57-55.

Led by the playmaking and rebounding of Lizzy Iseyemi (Dartmouth, NS), Acadia went on an 8-1 run down the stretch to make it 65-61.

In the final seconds, Ryan canned another three-pointer to shrink the Axewomen's lead to 65-64 heading to the fourth quarter.

In a tightly contested final period, the teams wouldn't give an inch; when freshman forward Darah Fleurgin (Montreal, QC) sank a pair of foul shots, the game was deadlocked at 71-71 midway through the final 10 minutes.

Acadia outscored CBU 9-2 down the stretch, keyed by a three-pointer and tenacious rebounding by Iseyemi, to seal the deal.

Letlow led the Capers with a monster double-double – 24 points and 19 rebounds (both game highs) – while Macleod added 21 points and three rebounds. Ryan chipped in 15 points, eight assists, and three rebounds in her second consecutive game playing all 40 minutes.

McDonald led the Axewomen with 21 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Russell – the Subway player of the game – added 18 points and four rebounds. Helmig also hit double digits in scoring with 14 points.

Iseyemi finished with nine points, 14 rebounds, and four assists.

The Axewomen will return to the court on Friday, Jan. 27, when they host the Dalhousie Tigers in a 6 p.m. start at War Memorial Gymnasium in Wolfville.

The Capers hit the road to face the Memorial SeaHawks on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 6 p.m. NST, at the Field House in St. John's.

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