The Concordia women’s basketball team fell to the Bishop’s Gaiters, Friday night, losing 66-55.
Both teams failed to generate much offence in the first quarter. Shortly after Bishop opened the scoring, Stingers guard Kendra Carrie tied the game at 2-2. Following a three-pointer the Gaiters slowly pulled ahead, until Stingers veteran Anne-Marie Prophete brought the girls back into the game with two field goals and a free throw, bringing the score to 9-8. Two more baskets from both teams made the score 13-12, for the Stingers, at the end of the first.
The Gaiters picked up the pace with two baskets and a three-pointer early in the second, bringing the score to 19-13. The Stingers fought back with two more baskets, closing the score at 19-17 before Bishop’s stepped up again. After a few quick points by Carrie, the Gaiters charged in with a pair of baskets and yet another three-pointer to increase their lead on the Stingers.
Prophete netted another basket, but it was too little too late for the first half. The final score at the end of two was 30-21, for the Gaiters.
Bishop’s picked up the offensive tempo entering the second half, sinking two three-pointers and another basket, giving them a 17-point advantage. Stingers guard Jill Verhesen netted one and teammate Prophete made a nice push to the basket to make the score at 38-25. In response, the Gaiters banked two more impressive three-pointers. Verhesen retaliated with two baskets of her own, and The Stingers caught another break when Kristin Portwine was fouled and didn’t miss both of her free throws. Prophete led by example again and sank another basket, making the score a close 44-36. With only two minutes left in the third period, the Gaiters netted another basket and finished the quarter with a comfortable 10-point lead at 46-36.
The final period started with a bang, with great drives to the basket by both teams. The Gaiters resorted to shooting from outside, one of their strengths, and got a trio of easy three-pointers in a row, running up the score to 57-36. Prophete responded with a basket before a series of fouls were committed and the free throws started lighting up the scoreboard.
The Stingers still had some fight left in them, as Portwine netted another basket and Magalie Beaulieu hit the bulls-eye for a three-pointer. With three minutes left on the clock and another basket by Portwine, the score was 63-47. Stingers forward Nekeita Lee helped her team by netting another basket but the fouls started up again, with four on the Stingers. The Gaiters gained possession of the ball in the final seconds and ran the clock to secure the win at 66-55.
After winning their game 66-57 against McGill this weekend, the Lady Bees play at Laval on Friday and return home against McGill on Saturday Nov. 21.
