Defending champion Huskies hold off Axewomen in season opener

Defending champion Huskies hold off Axewomen in season opener
October 30, 2024

HALIFAX, NS – The Acadia Axewomen fell 69-58 to the defending AUS champion Saint Mary's Huskies in the Atlantic University Sport women's basketball season opener on Wednesday night at the Homburg Centre in Halifax. 

The game opened as a defensive battle, with a three-pointer from Huskies forward Lucina Beaumont (Fredericton, NB) putting Saint Mary's ahead 6-2 in the first quarter. The Axewomen managed to tie the game at 9-9, but another Beaumont jumper helped the Huskies finish the quarter with a 15-11 edge.

In the second quarter, Saint Mary's extended their lead to 20-13 following free throws from guard Aki Kobayashi (Osaka, Japan). However, Acadia's all-star forward Samantha Russell (Dartmouth, NS) kept the Axewomen within reach, scoring nine points in the frame to narrow the gap to 27-26 at halftime. Russell led all scorers at the break with 12 points, while Beaumont and Chloe Wilson (Dartmouth, NS) led the Huskies with nine and eight points, respectively.

The Axewomen came out firing in the second half, with wing Lisa Bolander (Uppsala, Sweden) hitting a three-pointer to give Acadia a 40-35 lead. The Huskies responded with six points from guard Aliyah Fraser (New Glasgow, NS) late in the third, regaining a 49-46 advantage heading into the final quarter.

A lay-up from Axewomen forward Sarah Delorey (Elmsdale, NS) early in the fourth put Acadia back on top at 50-49, but the Huskies' first-year forward Evie Hargraves (Saint John, NB) answered with a personal 5-0 run to restore Saint Mary's lead. Another jumper by Delorey cut the deficit to 61-58 with just over three minutes to go, but the Huskies closed out the game with an 8-0 run, capped by a Fraser three-pointer, to seal the 69-58 victory.

Kobayashi earned Player of the Game honours for Saint Mary's, contributing 13 points, five rebounds, two assists, and three blocks. Forward Chloe Wilson led the Huskies with 15 points and eight rebounds, while Beaumont added 13 points and seven rebounds.

Russell led the Axewomen, coming off the bench to score a game-high 19 points with nine rebounds and four assists. Bolander chipped in 11 points, and Delorey added 10 points and seven rebounds.

The Axewomen and Huskies are set to meet again on Saturday night in Wolfville, N.S., with a 6 p.m. tip-off.