Antigonish, NS – The Cape Breton Capers picked up a key four points in the AUS standings with an 83-77 victory over the STFX X-Women in overtime Wednesday night at the STFX Saputo Centre.
Cape Breton mounted a late game comeback to force overtime and then outscored the X-Women 10-4 in the extra frame to take the victory.
The game was tied 73-73 at the end of regulation as Capers forward Hailey MacLeod (Marion Bridge, NS) drained a jump shot with 1.7 seconds left on the clock to tie it and force overtime.
MacLeod finished with 16 points for the Capers and 15 rebounds for a double-double night, and was one of four Capers in double scoring digits.
Veteran guard MacKenzee Ryan (Glace Bay, NS) netted 22 points and was strong down the stretch for the Capers. She went 4-for-7 from three point range.
Subway Player of the Game Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON) scored 21 points and pulled in 17 rebounds while Chermensa van la Parra (Rotterham, Netherlands) added 10 points.
The Capers were 45.6% from field goal range compared to the X-Women's 29.9%.
Briar MacDonald (Antigonish, NS) was the STFX player of the game with a double-double night, scoring 21 points and adding 11 rebounds.
Melina Collins (Halifax, NS) scored 17 off the X bench and veteran guard Kimberly Kingsbury (Nepean, ON) scored 12 and had 16 rebounds.
The Capers got out to an early lead in the first quarter but the X-Women pulled to within two points, 9-7 midway through on a Kingsbury three-pointer.
The end of the opening quarter ended with a flurry of three-point shots exchanged by both teams but with the home team X-Women coming out with a 22-20 lead.
STFX expanded on that lead in the second quarter, leading by as much as 11 points. Cape Breton chipped away at the lead near the end of the first half and trailed 43-37 at halftime.
MacDonald and Collins each scored 11 points for X in the opening half while Letlow had 12 for the Capers.
The Capers outscored the X-Women 16-13 I the third quarter as they continued to close the gap. STFX were up 56-53 after the third quarter.
The X-Women lead was quickly erased to start the fourth as Ryan sank a three-pointer for the Capers.
The two teams battled back and forth throughout the final frame with the lead not extending more than three points for either squad.
Cape Breton ended up winning the fourth quarter 20-17 and knotted the game at 73-73 to force overtime.
The extra period was close but a Ryan three-pointer put the Capers up 79-77 with 1:30 left to play and they did not relinquish their lead.
The win earned the Capers four points in the AUS standings as they improve to 3-4 on the season. The X-Women drop to 1-6.
STFX will be back on Coach K Court at Saturday night to host the Dalhousie Tigers in a 6:00 pm game.
Cape Breton will next see action on Saturday, November 27th when they host UNB.
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Courtesy Krista McKenna, STFX Sports Information