Brent Mutis
CapU Blues sports info

The Vancouver Island University (VIU) Gymnasium is always a tough place to play for opposition teams and that remained the case for the Capilano Blues in their most recent foray into Mariners’ territory.

Capilano sustained a 63-53 setback in the weekend opener on Friday and dropped a 62-47 decision on Saturday afternoon.

A cold shooting stretch in the second quarter Friday proved too much for Capilano to overcome. They’d matched the Mariners point for point in the opening frame but went just 3-of-14 from the floor in the second as the home side opened up an eight-point lead going to halftime.

Teigan Manson, who continues to work back to form after a long injury absence, hit a pair of threes in the third quarter as the Blues chipped away at the Mariners’ lead. Barcha Hnizdilova also hit from downtown in the third and CapU trailed by five going to the fourth quarter.

The home side did what they needed to in the fourth to close out the win, getting seven points from Sammy Shields over the final 10 minutes. Sasha Neuhaus hit three for the Blues with two minutes to go but it would be their final bucket on the night.

In Saturday’s rematch, buckets were again tough to come by as Capilano didn’t reach 15 points in any quarter. They defended well enough that they were within striking distance going to the fourth quarter but had just three makes from the field over the final 10 minutes as VIU pulled away for the win.

Hnizdilova had 13 points for the Blues, nine of which came on threes, while Maddy Coffin had 10 on the afternoon.

Other weekend highlights for the Blues included 11 boards Friday from Mia Parkin and the first two three-pointers of the season for rookie forward Jade de Fondaumiere, also on Friday.

Capilano is on the road again Nov. 21 and 22 with games at Okanagan College. Their next home games, the final Blues PACWEST games of 2025, are Nov. 28 and 29 against Columbia Bible College.