LONDON, Ont. - After coming off a road loss to the McMaster Marauders this past Saturday, Jan. 23, the Western Mustangs women’s basketball team is looking for their first win in two games.
The Mustangs will play host to the Waterloo Warriors this Wednesday at 6 p.m. Jan. 27 at Alumni Hall.
Even with the loss to McMaster, Mustangs head coach Stephan Barrie still said his team has put up a fight despite a shortened bench.
“I think we have battled hard," Barrie said. "We have been down players since we played Guelph."
Barrie notes Western has missed the services of guard
Beckie Williams (London, Ont.), forward
Melissa Rondinelli (London, Ont.) and starting guard
Kelly Moulden (Dundas, Ont.) recently.
"Those are key players for us," he said. "The fact that we were in both games we lost and, at Mac, had a chance to win shows me we have some fight."
"I really like the way we are coming together right now."
The Mustangs are 10-4 so far this season and are looking for a win over the seventh-place Warriors. Barrie said despite the distance between the clubs in the standings, he’s not worried about his team staying motivated playing against the last-place squad.
“If I’m playing, it’s not hard to motivate me after we have lost two games no matter who we are playing," Barrie said. "We respect Waterloo, and know they will come in and battle. But in terms of motivation, it only needs to come from our locker room."
With only eight games remaining in the regular season, the Mustangs currently sit in second in the OUA West division which would allow them to have a bye in the first round of playoff games.
The Mustangs are focusing on their play for the next month as playoffs near rather than on where they sit in the standings.
“More important than the positioning is how we are playing," Barrie said. "We want to be playing our best basketball as playoffs hit. If we build to that in the last month of regular season, the standings will take care of themselves.”
The Mustangs will tip-off against the Warriors on Jan 27 at 6 p.m.at Alumni Hall. Tickets can be purchased at the door and Western students get in for free using their student ID.
