Tuesday, October 21st saw the Niagara College women's basketball program open their 2014-15 regular season with a tough road game against the Sheridan Bruins. Riding the hot hand of guard Shylanda Saunders' 26 points, the home-court Bruins earned a hard fought 56-49 victory.
After finishing their OCAA pre-season with a record of 5-2, the Knights struggled to find their rhythm in the season opener. The team shot just 27% from the field and only 42% from the free throw line.
Tonight was a tight game all the way through" said Niagara College women's basketball head coach Mike Becarria. "It was not a good shooting game for us, but we also need to be tougher defensively."
The difference in the contest proved to be the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. The Knights trailed by just two points heading into the final frame. The team recorded the opening three points in the fourth, before a 12-0 run by Sheridan put the Knights out of reach for the rest of the game.
The Knights were paced by veteran team captain Miranda Ross (St. Catharines). The six-foot forward shot five of 11 from the field, finishing with a team high 14 points while also adding seven rebounds.
Also turning in a strong performance for Niagara was second year point guard Alyssa McCabe. McCabe provided the Knights with contributions across the board, finishing with eight points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
The Knights will look to recover from Tuesday night's defeat as the team gets ready for their 2014-15 home opener. The team hosts the Lambton Lions October 26th at 2:00pm at the Welland Campus Athletic Centre.
