Antigonish, NS – The Acadia Axewomen used a strong third quarter to defeat the X-Women 74-53 in STFX's home opener Wednesday night on Coach K Court at the Saputo Centre. 

Acadia outscored the STFX 18-3 in the third frame to build up a second half lead that the home team could not overcome. 

Subway Player of the Game Jayda Veinot (Port Williams, NS) scored a game high 23 points for the Axewomen and added eight rebounds. 

The X-Women got out to an early first quarter lead but the visiting Axewomen put on the pressure as X were up 15-13 at the end of the quarter. 

The second quarter saw more close action. Tahmala Thorpe (Mississauga, ON) was sharp from three-point range late in the quarter for X, draining one at the buzzer to put the X-Women up 38-37 at halftime.  

She netted 14 first-half points for the X-Women, including four from behind the arc. Elizabeth Kennedy (Richmond, ON) had nine points for STFX and replying for Acadia was Veinot with 12 points in the opening half. 

The Axewomen pulled ahead in the third quarter as the X-Women shooting went cold. Acadia held a 12-point lead, 51-39 with just over two minutes left to play.  

They held the X-Women to only three points on the scoreboard - all from the free throw line - outshooting the blue and white 18-13 to take a 55-41 lead after the third.  

The lead was too much to overcome for the X-Women and they were outpaced 19-12 in the fourth quarter as Acadia played out the 74-53 win.  

Veinot led the offense with her 23 points, while Elizabeth-Ann Iseyemi (Dartmouth, NS) netted 21 and had six boards. 

Ryan George (Moncton, NB) added 15 for the Axewomen. 

Thorpe was the player of the game and leading scorer for the X-Women as she finished with 17 points on the night. 

Kennedy scored 11 and Kimberly Kingsbury (Nepean, ON) scored nine and had five rebounds.    

The same two squads will play in a rematch game in Wolfville, NS as Acadia hosts a 6:00 pm game. 

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Courtesy Krista McKenna, STFX Athletics