Calgary, AB – The Mount Royal Cougars played an exceptional team game, winning for the first time this season76-69 over the UNBC Timberwolves. Eleni Steriopoulou had a game-high 18 points for UNBC. Katie Waring had 14 for Mount Royal.

UNBC scored seven of the game's first nine points opening up a 7-2 lead in the first four minutes. The tables turned when Angela Driscoll stole the ball at half court and went in for an easy layup. Katie Waring then hit a three-pointer to square the game at 7.

Driscoll grabbed another steal in the backcourt, helping the Cougars jump out to their first lead of the game. Mount Royal poured it on, going on a 20-2 run to close out the quarter.

Angela Driscoll went to work again off the restart. She again stole the ball off the dribble and ran it down for a lay-in. However, after that play, the flow of the game changed and UNBC began to hit shots. The Cougars weathered the storm but their lead was cut to 43-30 at the half.

When UNBC picked up the pace in the third quarter it was Melissa Moore who quieted them with a deep three-ball and two timely defensive rebounds. Moore, Driscoll and the Cougars managed to play ferocious defence extending the Cougars lead to 64-45 after three.

UNBC came out hot in the fourth, so Nate McKibbon did a wholesale swap of his on-court personnel and the switch paid off. Brooke Lister made a couple of key baskets to extend the lead back to 15. The Timberwolves tried to mount a comeback but the deficit was just too much. The Cougars took the game by a final of 76-69.  

The Cougars earned their first win of the season, improving their records to 1-7. The loss moves UNBC to the same record of 1-7 on the season.

The Cougars will open up the winter semester on Friday Jan. 8 when they travel to Fraser Valley to take on the Cascades.

The Timberwolves will also play their next match on Jan. 8 when they play host to the MacEwan Griffins.