Cougars conclude season with loss to Cascades

Max Campbell, Mount Royal Cougars Sports Information

CALGARY, AB – At Kenyon Court on Saturday night, the Mount Royal Cougars women's basketball squad came up short versus The University of the Fraser Valley Cascades by a score of 82-54 to wrap up their fourth campaign in the CIS.

The Cascades benefitted from 24 bench points and 11 in second-chance fashion. Katie Waring chipped in a team-high 15 points for the Cougars while Becky Nash added 10 of her own.

A pair of three-pointers from Waring opened the scoring for the home side, and Yasmene Saghir then banked-in a hook shot for an early 8-5 advantage. Neither team attempted a single foul shot in the first quarter as the Cascades led 14-13 entering the second.

Shayna Cameron of Fraser Valley weaved her way through the lane for an easy lay-in to kick off the quarter before Sydney Williams gathered in her own rebound and swished home a baseline jump shot. Nash's subsequent basket off an Angela Driscoll assist ended a 3:26 scoring drought for Mount Royal. At the break, the Cougars trailed 34-20 after committing 10 turnovers and making a mere seven field goals.

In the early stages of the third, Waring had a quick six points as Mount Royal began to cut into the deficit. But Kate Head swiftly scored in transition and Kaitlyn McDonald knocked down a triple from the corner to go up 50-31 midway through the frame. Despite a block from Nash and Cassidy Taal spotting up for three, the Cougars were outscored once again in the quarter, this time by four points.

Katie Brink's spin move from deep in the key with just over three minutes left in the contest effectively sealed the win for the Cascades.

Mount Royal finishes the season with a 2-18 record, posting a pair of victories over the UNBC Timberwolves – one at home back on November 28 and one on the road on February 12.

The third-place Cascades complete the year at 13-7 and ride a six-game winning streak heading into postseason play.