Tigers fall to REDS

The Dalhousie Tigers fell to the UNB REDS 72-44 on Friday at Dalplex.

In the first quarter, Dalhousie started slowly with the REDS taking an early 6-0 lead by the 7:42 mark. Eva Widmeyer sparked Dalhousie's offense with a 3-pointer assisted by Simona Matic at 3:45, helping the team reduce the gap. Sarah Valley tied the game at 10 with a 3-pointer, but the visitors regained their lead late in the quarter. Dalhousie ended the quarter strong with Samantha Manieri's jumper and Simona Matic's two free throws, closing the gap to finish the quarter trailing by one, 15-14.

In the second quarter, Dalhousie displayed a strong start with Madelyn White making a jumper and a 3-pointer within the first few minutes, assisted both times by Simona Matic, giving Dalhousie a lead of 19-15. Despite this early advantage, the REDS responded with a series of 3-pointers and free throws, overtaking Dalhousie to establish a nine-point lead by the end of the quarter. Dalhousie managed to cut into the deficit towards the end, with Sarah Valley hitting a key 3-pointer and Eva Widmeyer contributing with a jumper and a free throw, but the REDS maintained their lead heading into the next quarter.

During the third quarter, Dalhousie faced a challenging run as the REDS maintained consistent scoring. Eva Widmeyer put points on the board with a jumper, bringing the score to 41-29 at 7:05. Sydney Guker-Wickie contributed two 3-pointers late in the quarter, closing the gap slightly with her shots at 1:12 and 0:30, bringing the home team's total to 35. Despite these efforts, Dalhousie was outscored in the quarter, culminating in a 24-8 run by the visiting team.

In the fourth quarter, Dalhousie scored nine points, with Sarah Valley contributing a layup at 7:10 and later adding a free throw at 1:45. Melina Collins made a layup and converted a free throw for a three-point play around 3:15, and Sophie Carmichael closed the scoring for Dalhousie with a jumper assisted by Abby Carpenter near the end of the quarter. Despite their defensive efforts, including steals by Sydney Guker-Wickie, Collins, and Carpenter, Dalhousie was unable to overcome the REDS' lead.

Eva Widmeyer led Dalhousie in scoring with 10 points, shooting 4-for-15 from the field and 1-for-7 from three-point range. Melina Collins contributed defensively with two steals and added eight points, shooting 3-for-5 from the field. Samantha Manieri was active on the boards with six rebounds and also recorded two steals. Simona Matic provided strong support with a team-high four assists and seven rebounds, while also recording two steals. These players were key contributors in their recent game.

The Tigers and REDS return to the court on Saturday. Tip off is set for 2pm.