The McGill Martlets defeated the UFV Cascades 70-52 in the CIS Final 8 consolation semi-final on Saturday, a disappointing end to an otherwise fantastic season for UFV.
The basketball women came into the national tournament with high hopes, only to drop their first game Friday, losing 62-57 to the Saint Mary’s Huskies.
Bumped into the consolation bracket, the Cascades tried to make the best of it. Playing their trademark stingy D, UFV held the Martlets to just 10 first quarter points, forcing eight McGill turnovers in the process.
The Martlets found some traction midway through the second quarter, going on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 18-18.
Four minutes before halftime, Anneth Him-Lazarenko gave McGill the lead on a three-point play, and the Martlets took a 31-26 advantage into the break.
Only four Cascades were on the scoresheet at halftime, led by Chilliwack native Kayli Sartori (11 points). UFV shot just 29 per cent from the floor, with McGill shooting 36 per cent.
The Martlets opened the second half on a 9-2 run, building up a double-digit lead the Cascades couldn’t overcome.
UFV scored only 11 points in the third quarter and trailed by 19 heading into the fourth.
The Cascades depth abandoned them, with the McGill bench outscoring UFV reserves 21-8.
Both coaches played their entire benches in the fourth quarter, but cold shooting doomed the Cascades.
They shot 27 per cent in the second half, well below their average. For the game, UFV was four of 27 from long range, a part of their game that was so dependable in a 21 win regular season.
Sartori was UFV’s leading scorer with 15 points, while Mission’s Aieisha Luyken added 12 points, three steals and three rebounds.
Abbotsford’s Jaslyen Singh came off the bench with eight points in 16 minutes. Chilliwack’s Courtney Bartel pulled down five rebounds to lead the Cascades.
The Windsor Lancers defeated the Regina Cougars to take the tournament title.
