By Corey LeBlanc
SYDNEY – The host Cape Breton University (CBU) Capers (7-11) made it two consecutive wins over the Dalhousie Tigers, in as many days, with a 73-68 victory on Monday afternoon at Sullivan Fieldhouse.
Trailing 65-63 down the stretch, sophomore forward Darah Fleurgin (Montreal, QC) scored seven consecutive points to give the home team a lead with 55 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter that they would not relinquish.
Although Sarah Valley (Regina SK), with her lone hoop of the game, drained a clutch three-pointer to trim the CBU edge to 70-68, Dalhousie could get no closer.
All-Canadian Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON) – the Chartwells player of the game – led the way for the home team with 22 points and a game-high 21 rebounds, while chipping in a blocked shot and steal.
In a back-and-forth opening half, the Capers led 20-19 after the first quarter, and 37-33 heading to the locker room.
Early in the third quarter, after five straight points from Kaitlyn Ferrier (Calgary, AB), including a shot from beyond the arc, the visitors sliced the CBU edge to 41-38.
First-year Caper Hans Sarah Bailly (Montreal, QC), after a handful of fruitless trips for both sides, canned a three-pointer to extend the lead to 44-38.
After keying a run as a distributor, freshman guard Simona Matic (Belgrade, Serbia) hit a jumper to tie the contest 51-51 with just more than two minutes remaining in the stanza.
The only points of the remaining time in the third quarter came off a steal and drive to the basket by Fleurgin to give the Capers a 53-51 advantage heading to the fourth quarter.
In the final frame, the Tigers scored the first seven points – led by the play on both ends of the court from former Caper Sydney Guker-Wickie (Kitchener, ON) – and took a 58-53 lead.
The Capers rallied and regained the edge – at 59-58 – on a three-pointer from shooting guard Hannah Smith (Bedford, NS) and free throw from first-year guard Amanda Cruickshank (Montreal, QC).
The teams traded points down the stretch until Fleurgin's seven-point spurt turned a 65-63 deficit for CBU into a five-point lead.
Fleurgin – off the bench – finished with 13 points, five steals, four rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot for the Capers, while Cruickshank – with 12 – Bailly (11) and Hailey MacLeod (Marion Bridge, NS) also finished in double digits.
Ferrier, the Tigers' play of the game, collected a game-high 25 points, while adding seven rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Guker-Wickie added 21 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks, while Matic contributed 11 points and four rebounds.
Each team will return to action on Friday, Feb. 16, with the Tigers hosting the STFX X-Women, while the Capers will welcome the UPEI Panthers.
Tip-off for both match-ups is 6 p.m.