TORONTO, Ont. – Laurier's women's basketball team were on the road this past weekend, playing at the Darcel Wright Memorial Classic at Toronto Metropolitan University. The Golden Hawks went 2 -1 during the tournament.
The purple and gold lost a hard fought first game against the UBC Thunderbirds, losing 53-74. Second-year player Brittyn Graves led the charge for the Golden Hawks, putting up 10 points. She was followed closely by veteran player Miranda Campbell who put up nine points and pulled down six rebounds. Janet Enge and Kate White also contributed with nine points and four rebounds each.
"During the second quarter, we turned the ball over too much, and when we regained control later on we were unable to make the comeback," explained manager of women's basketball operations and head coach Paul Falco. The Golden Hawks and Thunderbirds had met previously this pre-season resulting in a 53-63 loss for the Golden Hawks, who were hoping to answer back this time around.
The loss against UBC pushed the team into the consolation bracket, where they went on to face the McMaster Marauders.
The Golden Hawks were able to secure a win over the Marauders with a final score of 81-57. Fourth-year Cassidy Hirtle was a driving force in all four quarters, putting up 18 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Coach Falco was impressed with the team's performance. "We played really well for four quarters, and I thought we put a pretty complete game together."
The Golden Hawks then captured another win over the Victoria Vikes in with a final score of 78-52. Hirtle was a top scorer in this matchup as well, scoring 20 points for her team and adding five rebounds.
Looking ahead to the regular season season, Coach Falco plans for the team to play hard and get more experience on the court. He hopes to see them continuing to improve each time they play whether that be in specific situations, or just improving in playing together as a team.
The Darcel Wright Memorial Classic was the Golden Hawks third and final tournament of the 2023 pre-season. The next time the team suits up, it will be for their home opener on November 1.
TOP PERFORMERS
Cassidy Hirtle and Miranda Campbell were both named among the tournament's top performers. Hirtle averaged 15 points and seven rebounds and led her team in minutes played in all three games. Campbell scored 11.7 points per game and was an excellent facilitator as well, averaging a team-high 4.7 assists.
UP NEXT
Tip-off for next Wednesday's season opener is set for 6 p.m. at the Athletic Complex. The Golden Hawks will have another go at the McMaster Marauders in one of the OUA's most competitive regional rivalries. Tickets are on sale now.
