Axewomen top nationally ranked Huskies in front of capacity crowd

The Acadia Axewomen secured a hard-fought 81-76 overtime victory over the No. 2-ranked Saint Mary's Huskies in AUS women's basketball action Saturday at Stu Aberdeen Court.

The win, Acadia's second straight over Saint Mary's, came in front of 1,000 fans and was anchored by a strong defensive effort. The Axewomen forced 15 turnovers and limited the Huskies to just 18.5 per cent shooting from beyond the arc, countering Saint Mary's 40 points in the paint. Acadia shot 35.4 per cent from the field and 78.1 per cent from the free-throw line.

Bianca Helmig led the way for Acadia with 28 points, shooting 8-for-17 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three-point range. She also contributed five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Samantha Russell recorded a team-high six assists and nine rebounds while adding 11 points. Taya Dixon led Acadia's rebounding efforts with 11 boards and contributed six points, all from the free-throw line (6-for-8). Sarah Delorey chipped in 11 points on 5-for-8 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds, and Lisa Bolander provided 15 points, making three three-pointers.

Clara Gascoigne led the Huskies with 25 points, hitting four of nine from beyond the arc, while adding two rebounds, two assists and one steal. Lucina Beaumont dominated the boards with a game-high 14 rebounds to go along with 21 points, including a 7-for-8 performance from the free-throw line. Aki Kobayashi contributed 16 points and five rebounds while leading the Huskies with four assists.

Acadia jumped out to a 24-18 lead after the first quarter, powered by strong three-point shooting (5-for-9) and a 10-point effort from Russell. The Huskies responded in the second quarter, outscoring Acadia 21-17 to cut the deficit to 41-39 at halftime. Helmig provided a key spark for the Axewomen, knocking down two three-pointers and making all four of her free-throw attempts.

The teams remained evenly matched through the second half. Acadia held a slim 18-17 edge in the third quarter, with its defense forcing four Saint Mary's turnovers. The Huskies outscored Acadia 16-13 in the fourth, forcing overtime after both teams struggled from the field down the stretch.

In overtime, the Axewomen capitalized on key defensive plays and efficient scoring to secure the win, sealing back-to-back victories over one of the country's top teams.

Acadia will be back in action on Friday, Feb. 21, when they visit the UNB Reds for a 6 p.m. matchup - their final of the regular season.