Halifax, NS – The STFX X-Women met their match in the AUS semifinal playoff game, falling 71-61 to the first place Saint Mary's Huskies.

The Huskies got out to a 9-0 lead to start the game before second year X-Women head coach Matt Spencer called a timeout four minutes in to settle his troops. A three-pointer by STFX's Krissy Cooper brought the score to 11-5 in favour of the Huskies.

The X-Women then overtook the Huskies for their first lead of the game, 13-12 on consecutive three-point dishes from Avery Walker and Cooper with just over two minutes left in the quarter.

Courtney Donaldson and Aki Kobayashi then converted threes of their own to regain the Huskies lead and they closed out the quarter with an 18-13 advantage over the X-Women.

Marlo Steenbakkers made consecutive jumpers to start the second quarter and a Donaldson three gave the Huskies a 12-point lead, 25-13.

The first place quad held on through the remainder of the first half and were up 40-26 at halftime.

Donaldson scored 11 points for the Huskies in the opening half, including nine points from beyond the three point arc. Steenbakkers contributed 10 points.

For the X-Women, Ekaterina Karchevskaya and Cooper each scored six points a piece.

The offensive woes continued for the X-Women to start the third quarter as the Huskies held them to two points in the opening three minutes of play.

Saint Mary's built up a commanding 52-30 lead midway through the quarter. After a timeout, the X-Women regrouped and went on a 6-0 run.

The Huskies offence stalled and the X-Women outscored them 18-17 in the third quarter but continued to trail on the scoreboard, down 57-44 after 30 minutes.

The fourth quarter was exciting back and forth action as the X-Women tried to mount a comeback and the Huskies tried to hang onto the lead. Midway through SMU held a nine point lead, 63-54.

AUS all-rookie guard Shannon Neita fouled out of the game for X with four minutes left to play.

Time wasn't on STFX's side as SMU slowed down the pace of the game in the final minutes. They maintained a 10-point lead, 67-57 with two minutes to play.

The X-Women were unable to close the gap and the Huskies held on for the 71-61 win.

Steenbakkers was named player of the game as she scored a game-high 18 points and added 13 rebounds.

Donaldson and Clara Gascoigne each scored 12 points for the Huskies and Lucina Beaumont had a double-double game with 10 points and 15 rebounds.

For the X-Women, both Neita (10 points, 10 rebounds) and Cooper (10 points, 11 rebounds) put in double-double efforts. Karchevskaya scored a team-high 15 points and Katie Upham netted 12.

With the win, the Huskies move on to Sunday's AUS championship game against the winner of Memorial and UNB.

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Recap courtesy Krista McKenna, STFX Athletics