The Ambrose University Lions travelled to Caronport for a Remembrance Day South Division encounter against the Briercrest Clippers. Briercrest head coach Dwight Olney and his team were hungry for their first win of the 2016-17 campaign.

Briercrest won the opening tip and attacked the paint as Amy Wanvig converted an offensive rebound and Sophie Mayerle made layups on both sides of the hoop. Abby Klassen’s jumper gave Briercrest an early 10-4 lead. A pair of Victoria Voth hoops on the fast break pushed the advantage to 23-14. Leah Hundeby notched a late steal and Voth dropped another layup to give Briercrest a 27-16 lead.

Briercrest continued to force the action in the paint as Wanvig and Jill Ehman scored under the basket early in the second quarter. Emilie Peters snatched defensive and offensive boards in quick succession, with the latter leading to a bucket to give Briercrest a 37-24 advantage. Leah Hundeby was fouled when she rebounded her own missed shot and her free throws pushed the lead to 39-28. Ambrose’s Katie Nutini made a pair of twisting baskets, but Sophie Mayerle’s offensive board and layup gave Briercrest a 43-34 cushion at the buzzer.

In the third quarter, Ambrose made a pair of quick shots to cut the deficit, but Abby Klassen and Sophie Mayerle scored and restored Briercrest’s double-digit lead. Ambrose shaved the Briercrest lead to 51-46, but aggressive play by Emilie Peters, Kristin Grasmeyer, and Leah Hundeby gave Briercrest a 60-50 lead after three quarters.

In the final period, Ambrose’s Catherine Montes delivered six straight points as the Lions chipped away at the Briercrest lead, and Ambrose tightened up their defense to handcuff Briercrest for much of the frame. With seven seconds remaining, Montes made a floater in the key to give Ambrose its only lead, but Abby Klassen drove hard to the paint and found Amy Wanvig for the game winner at the buzzer—Briercrest chalks up a heart-stopping 71-70 victory.

Briercrest’s Sophie Mayerle notched 19 points and 6 rebounds to earn the Player of the Game selection. Ambrose’s Catherine Montes was valiant in defeat, and her 20 points and 3 steals earned her POG honours. Briercrest’s dominance on the boards, particularly at the offensive end (19-5), was a key to the win.

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