Huskies Rally Past V-Reds
Dodig scores 20 in loss
(FREDERICTON, NB) The Saint Mary’s Huskies rallied from a 13-point half-time deficit to beat the UNB Varsity Reds 66-64, Friday night, at UNB’s Richard J. Currie Center.
After scoring just 21 points in the first half, the Huskies erupted for 23 in the third quarter and 22 more in the fourth.
Katrina Murrell(Markham, ON) scored 14 points to lead the Saint Mary’s attack, while Jasmine Cain(Halifax, NS) added 11.
“We’ve got a pretty experienced group, so you don’t have to go in and peel the paint off,” said Huskies head coach Scott Munro, about his half-time speech to his team. “They’ve been through a lot, won AUS championships. They know when they’re not putting forth the effort to get it done, and they stepped it up and turned it around.”
Mikaela Dodig(Bolton, ON) led UNB, scoring a game-high 20 points. Laura Kaye(Fredericton, NB) added 18 for the Varsity Reds.
The loss extends UNB’s losing streak to four games.
“We’re going to figure it out, and we’re going to win the game when it counts,” said Dodig, who’s team has seen a number of second half leads disappear in recent weeks.
“I think we’re past the fatigue point. With our short bench, we have to be in shape,” she said. “Right now it’s just mental and we’ve just got to pull through it.”
“We’re going to keep working,” said Varsity Reds head coach Jeff Speedy. “We’ve got too many good people and too many talented people to just throw in the towel on January 26th, so we’re going to keep working.”
There was one bright spot for the Varsity Reds, who saw fifth-year guard Grace Wade(Moncton, NB) return to action.
She suffered a serious knee injury on November 17th, and has been sidelined since.
Initially, it was thought her season and career were over, but Wade will resume a limited role, despite her injury.
“This team means a lot to me,” she said. “I don’t know how much I’ll be able to contribute, skill wise, but I want to do as much as I can, and I wanted to be able to put my jersey on again and play with 15 of my best friends.”
“It shows her character and her grit, for sure,” said Speedy.
The Varsity Reds are now 6-8, good for sixth place in the Atlantic University Sport standings.
The Huskies improve to 8-4, and sit second.
UNB will host the Huskies again Saturday, in a 1:00pm tip-off, to conclude the weekend series.
RECAP AND PHOTOS BY: Andy Campbell/UNB Athletics