WATERLOO, Ont. - The Laurier Golden Hawks snapped an eight-game losing streak with a decisive 69-53 wire-to-wire victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues on Saturday night at the Laurier Athletic Complex Gym.
Laurier seized control from the opening tip and never trailed, building a commanding 23-7 lead after the first quarter. The Golden Hawks held Toronto to just 3-of-19 shooting in the opening 10 minutes, forcing turnovers and converting 17 points off miscues over the course of the game.
Kate White opened the scoring with a three-pointer 32 seconds in and finished the first quarter with nine points, setting the tone for a balanced offensive effort. Laurier shot 40 per cent from beyond the arc in the opening frame and followed with another strong perimeter display in the second, knocking down four more triples to take a 42-21 lead into halftime.
Toronto struggled to find consistency offensively in the first half, shooting 31.7 per cent from the field overall and going scoreless from three-point range in the opening quarter. Former Golden Hawk Janet Enge led the Varsity Blues with 15 points, while Lia Barbieri added 11, but Toronto was unable to cut into the deficit before the break.
"When we take care of the basketball and run our offensive sets, we play good basketball and shoot high percentages," said Laurier head coach Megan Reid. "Ultimately, this was a win for the team."
The Golden Hawks maintained their composure in the third quarter as Toronto attempted to respond with improved shooting. White hit a pair of early three-pointers in the frame, while Maya Fuerth continued her efficient night, connecting on all three of her attempts from beyond the arc. Laurier outscored Toronto 18-16 in the quarter and extended its advantage to 60-37 heading into the fourth.
Laurier's largest lead reached 29 points midway through the third quarter, as the Golden Hawks capitalized on transition opportunities and continued to pressure defensively. Laurier finished with 10 fast-break points and outscored Toronto 18-17 in points off turnovers.
The fourth quarter saw Laurier prioritize defensive execution and ball control, limiting Toronto to 33.3 per cent shooting while closing out the contest without surrendering its lead.
White led all scorers with 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting, adding four three-pointers and four steals in 25 minutes of action. Fuerth followed with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-7 performance from the field, while Keira Aikman recorded a double-figure scoring night with 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Laurier received contributions throughout the lineup, finishing with 12 bench points and holding a 26-24 edge in points in the paint.
"It wasn't just the scoring," Reid said of White. "It was the leadership and composure she brought."
Fuerth credited the collective effort following the win.
"Honestly, what made this game so good was the team effort," she said. "Everyone played for each other."
With the victory, Laurier improved to 5-15 on the season.
Up next: The Golden Hawks return to home action on Friday, Feb. 13, when they host the Brock Badgers (12-7) for Alumni Night. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. and tickets are available for purchase at tickets.laurierathletics.com
