By John DeCoste
The defending national champion Windsor Lancers proved to be too much for the Acadia Axewomen in quarterfinal action at the CIS championships March 17 in Calgary.
The talented Lancers scored the game's first eight points and stayed ahead en route to a 94-46 win over AUS-champion Acadia, in its first-ever appearance at the women's nationals.
Windsor led 22-7 after one quarter, but the Axewomen played their best basketball of the game in the second quarter, which Windsor won 20-18 for a 42-25 halftime lead. The Lancers then won the third quarter 28-10 and the fourth 24-11.
Stefanie Chapman, Acadia's Player of the Game, and Jasmine Parent both hit double figures in scoring with 10 points each. Melissa Gottschall, who played a strong game off the bench, and Lindsay Harris each had five points.
For Windsor, Jessica Clemencon finished with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Bojana Kovacevic added 16 points and 12 rebounds.
Interviewed at halftime, Acadia head coach Bev Greenlaw said the Axewomen seemed "extremely frightened" at the start of the game - possibly intimidated by Windsor's size.
Compounding the problem, Acadia's post players were in foul trouble early: Abbey Duinker, Parent and Jackie Caravella each with two fouls by the end of the first quarter.
Greenlaw said he felt his players "showed a little more" in the second quarter, but the Lancers were able to score with ease in the second half. Greenlaw substituted freely once the score got out of hand.
Relegated to the consolation bracket, the Axewomen will look to regroup Sunday, March 18, at 5 p.m. ADT when they meet the loser of the quarterfinal between Regina and host Calgary.
Watch online at http://www.ssncanada.ca.
