LONDON, Ont. - Amanda Anderson (Chatham, Ont.) scored a game-high 21 points and dded four assists and three rebounds as the Western Mustangs improved to 5-1 with a 66-53 win over the Queen's Gaels at Alumni Hall on Nov. 21.

Her strong defence and excellent front-court pressure from the Mustangs guided them to their third straight victory.

Beckie Williams (London, Ont.) and Melissa Rondinelli (Sarnia, Ont.) added 13 and nine points off the bench respectively, while Rebecca Moss (Waterloo, Ont.) grabbed nine rebounds and two steals for Western.

Senior forward Erin Skippon (Kelowna, B.C) was solid, especially early, for the Gaels. She finished with six steals - five in the first half - 13 points and four rebounds.

Anderson said the win was especially important with a pair of tough opponents coming up with Ryerson and Toronto.

"They had a big game last night against Windsor so it was really important for us to put forward our best defensive effort," the fifth-year guard and captain said. "We were sloppy in the first half. We knew we couldn't give a team that many offensive rebounds, and 10 boards in a game is bad let alone 10 in one half."

Anderson said the team is coming together and that new players like Williams, Rondinelli and Katelyn Leddy, a second-year transfer from the University of Guelph and London, Ont., native providing key minutes. The Western bench outscored Queen's 30-9.

"Our new players this year are fitting into the puzzle nicely, the rookies have been giving us solid minutes."

Leddy, who got into second-half foul trouble, eight points and a trio of key rebounds. 

The teams played a tight first quarter, with Queen's going inside early and often. When they missed, they were all over the glass. Western led 18-17 after the first quarter.

But going on 10-1 run from the end of the first quarter through the second, Western held Queen's scoreless for over five minutes using a variety of defensive pressures. The Gaels hit just one shot from the field in the quarter and were shooting a dismal 29% from the floor in the half.

Anderson led Western with 12 first-half points, while Skippon led the Gaels with five steals and five points. 

Queen's held a 21-13 rebounding edge at the break, but Western led 32-26 on the scoreboard.
In the third quarter, Western held a 20-12 edge, with Anderson increasing her point total to 19, leading 52-40 after 30 minutes.

Western played tough defence in the fourth, holding the Gaels to just 13 points and many tough looks, controlling the boards and scoring timely baskets.

While the Gaels outscored Western 32-24 in the paint, they shot a poor 30% in the game.

The Mustangs travel to the GTA next weekend, playing at Ryerson Nov. 27 at 6 p.m. and at Toronto on Nov. 28 at 6 p.m. It will be a crucial weekend for the Mustangs.

"The Toronto teams are off to a good start, especially Ryerson," said Anderson. "We are just trying to build and get better each game."

Western's next home game is on Jan. 9, 2010, against Wilfrid Laurier at Alumni Hall at 1 p.m.