WBB | Voyageurs Fall to Lakers as Winning Streak Ends
The Laurentian Voyageurs women's basketball team saw their three-game winning streak snapped Wednesday night, falling 77–64 at home to the Nipissing Lakers. Laurentian had taken the first meeting between the rivals with a convincing 60–44 win in North Bay, but this time it was the Lakers who had the answer.
Nipissing burst out of the gate, building a 14–6 lead and forcing an early Laurentian timeout. The stoppage proved effective for Laurentian head coach Jason Hurley, as his team went on a run to end the quarter, ultimately tying the game at 18. However, the momentum shift was overshadowed by a major blow, as star forward Emilie Lafond left the game after falling awkwardly and suffering an apparent upper-body injury. Lafond, who averages north of 16 points and seven rebounds per game, has been a key driver of Laurentian's success this season, and the Voyageurs will be hoping for a speedy recovery.
The Lakers again started fast in the second quarter, stretching their lead to nine points before Laurentian clawed back to within three late in the half. However, a near buzzer-beating three from Ella Bannister sent Nipissing into the break with a 37–31 advantage.
The teams traded baskets throughout the third quarter, with Laurentian briefly trimming the deficit to three. Nipissing closed the frame strongly, taking a 10-point lead into the final quarter of action.
Playing without Lafond, the Voyageurs showed resilience in the fourth. They stayed within striking distance, and with two-and-a-half minutes remaining, Audrey-Anne Labreche knocked down a huge three-pointer to cut the lead to two. That would be as close as Laurentian would come, as the Lakers responded with an old-fashioned three-point play from Dominique Bouchard and closed out a near wire-to-wire 77–64 victory.
Despite the loss, Claudia Pellerin was a bright spot in her return to the lineup, recording 22 points and 11 rebounds. Nipissing was led by a balanced attack, with four players eclipsing double figures.
Laurentian will look to bounce back during their annual arena game at the Sudbury Arena on Saturday afternoon against Guelph.
- Olly Sankar