The StFX X-Women improved to 3-5 on the regular season with an 80-62 win over the UPEI Panthers Saturday evening in AUS basketball action at Oland Centre in Antigonish.
Subway player of the game Kolbi Roper led three X-Women in double figures with 19 points, including 12 in the opening half.
She added seven rebounds, three assists, one blocked shot and one steal in the victory.
Vanessa Pickard contributed 18 points, including four three-pointers, while adding four rebounds, three assists, one blocked shot and one steal.
AUS leading rebounder Lia St. Pierre corralled eight rebounds, while chipping in 18 points, seven assists, one blocked shot and three steals.
In a stellar defensive effort, guard Rebecca Sheehan collected seven of the 16 X-Women steals. She added eight points, seven assists and four rebounds for the winners.
"It felt good for us," X-Women head coach Augy Jones said of the back-to back wins, including one Thursday night (Nov. 28) against the Acadia Axewomen in Wolfville.
"It is a nice way to head into the Christmas break," Jones continued. "I like the way our team is playing right now," he added.
With the two four-point wins in the three days, the X-Women have climbed into a second place tie with the Cape Breton University Capers (4-3) in the conference, trailing only the CIS No. 1 ranked Saint Mary's Huskies (8-0).
The X-Women jumped to a 26-11 lead after the first quarter, and took a 38-27 advantage into halftime.
In the third quarter, the X-Women extended to a 61-39 lead – their largest of the night – but the Panthers rallied to within 11 at one point of the second half.
Eventually, StFX regained a 20-point margin en route to the 18-point victory.
"We have to get more mentally strong," Jones said, in commenting on the X-Women playing with big leads thus far this season.
For the Panthers (4-4), Amy Gough led the way with 20 points, while Darcy Zinck contributed 16 off the bench.
UPEI player of the game Tamara Tompkins added 11.
Kiera Rigby led the Panthers with seven rebounds, while Katelynn Donahoe collected five assists – a team-high.
Before resuming AUS regular season play in the New Year, the X-Women will compete in the Mount Saint Vincent exhibition tournament January 4-5.
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