Brent Mutis, CapU sport info & compliance officer
After an epic Friday night overtime tilt which moved the Capilano Blues into first place in the PACWEST, the Vancouver Island University (VIU) Mariners exacted some payback with a 68-52 win Saturday afternoon at CapU.
Both teams are now 12-2 in PACWEST play though Capilano owns the tie-breaker with a 2-1 record against VIU this season.
PACWEST leading scorer Harriette Mackenzie led VIU Saturday with 23 points and 12 boards while Meagan Briggs was the Blues' high scorer with 13. Maddy Coffin had six and four in 24 minutes off the bench but overall, CapU struggled to score the ball and hit just 2-of-14 from downtown.
In Friday night's game, opposing guards C.J. Buckley and Kirsten Abo (interview audio below) went at it all night, at times trading shot for shot, but it was Abo scoring 40 points - the most by a PACWEST player this season, male or female - leading her side an 85-75 overtime win that was every bit the contest it promised to be.
Abo was dialled from the opening tip, with 11 points in the first quarter including 3-for-3 from downtown. She kept her foot on the gas in the second with eight more points as CapU took a 35-30 lead to the locker room.
Ida Jonsson-Ojala took over in the third quarter for the Blues with 14 of her 18 points on the night as Capilano increased its lead to nine going to the fourth quarter. Buckley and VIU saved their best for last as the Mariners guard had 12 in the final frame with a pair of threes. VIU tied the game on a pair of free throws from Mackenzie and when Abo's buzzer-beating runner rattled out, it set the stage for overtime.
Abo scored the first three points of OT from the charity stripe and CapU never trailed. She would go 8-for-12 from the line in OT and added a three while Lauren Tomlinson also made four free throws to help seal the win.
The Blues are home again next weekend with the Columbia Bible College (CBC) Bearcats visiting CapU. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. both Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11. The latter game is also Blues Senior Night as graduating players Meagan Briggs and Mackenzie Smith will be honoured.
