Sharpe shooter leads V-Reds

AUS roundup | Resurgent men's squad settles for weekend split in N.S.

The University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds women's basketball team was extra Sharpe on their weekend sweep through Nova Scotia.

The V-Reds women's squad picked up four point wins in both ends of the trip, defeating the Acadia Axewomen 75-64 Saturday night and following up with a 94-83 win over the Dalhousie Tigers Sunday.

Amanda Sharpe, the fifth year Fredericton post, lit it up on the weekend, following up an impressive Saturday night in Wolfville -- 32 points and 15 rebounds -- with an equally strong Sunday in Halifax -- 30 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks against the Tigers, leading the V-Reds to a pair of four point wins.

"Two big four point wins," surmised V-Reds coach Jeff Speedy. "We haven't gone 2-0 on this trip in my tenure, so it's very good."

The twin wins move the V-Reds back into second place in the AUS women's standings with an 11-4 mark, five of those wins of the four point variety. Their 32 points put them four points up on third place Memorial and StFX and four back of league-leading Cape Breton Capers.

V-Reds led 45-44 at the half against the Tigers but buckled down defensively in the final 20 minutes to secure the win. Sharpe was just that, knocking down 15 of 20 field goal attempts. Claire Colborne, held to seven points and 13 minutes of floor time the night before due to foul trouble, rebounded with 24 points. Leah Corby clicked for 16. Five Tigers were in double figures, led by Stephanie Hilz with 18. Patricia McNeil picked up 16.

Saturday, Sharpe lit it up for 32 points and pulled down 15 rebounds to key the 75-64 victory.

The fifth year post knocked down 14 of 21 field goal attempts and was 4-for-4 from the foul line. The Corby sisters, Megan with 13 and Leah with 10, were the other V-Reds in double figures on the day. Emma Russell had six points and nine rebounds. Jordanne Holtstein had 10 boards. Rookie wing Claire Colborne was held to seven points in 13 minutes of floor time.

Acadia's sister act, Abbey and Emma Duinker, provided their 1-2 punch, Abbey with 19 points and 13 rebounds, Emma with 18 points. UNB trailed by one after the first quarter, but took a 37-34 halftime lead and built on it from there.

The resurgent Varsity Reds men's team had to settle for a split in Nova Scotia, edging the Acadia Axemen 74-71 Saturday, but suffering an 88-54 loss to the Dalhousie Tigers Sunday.

Tigers sprinted out to a 20 point halftime lead, leading 49-29, shooting 60 per cent from the floor, and the V-Reds never recovered. Simon Farine led the way for the winners with 21 points and Juleos Grant added 17. William McFee led the V-Reds with 13 points. Dan Quiron and Alex DesRoches each had nine. DesRoches pulled down a dozen rebounds.

Saturday, four of the five V-Reds starters, including rookie Jordan Irvine of Woodstock, scored in double figures as the V-Reds edged Acadia 74-71 in Wolfville, N.S.

William McFee led the V-Reds with 19 points, including 3-for-4 in three pointers. Irvine and Andrew Wright each had 13 points and Daniel Quiron added 10. All five Acadia starters were in double figures, led by Tyler Lutton with 18 points, but they got only four points from their bench.

AUS Men's Volleyball

University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds cruised past the Memorial Sea-Hawks of Newfoundland in Atlantic University Sport Men's Volleyball Conference action, winning by match scores of 3-0 Saturday and 3-1 Sunday.

The sweep improves the V-Reds AUS mark to 9-6 on the season, just two points back of league leading and perennial champion Dalhousie Tigers. Set scores Saturday were 25-16, 25-20, 25-23. Tyler Veenhuis led the V-Reds with 13 kills and had 10 digs on defence. Jacob Kilpatrick added seven kills and had two service aces in the match. Sunday, the V-Reds won by set scores of 25-10, 24-26, 25-20, 25-17. Matt Sweet had a dozen kills and Veenhuis had 11.