LONDON, Ont. - With 23 points, Caroline Wolynski broke her personal best scoring record set just one week ago to help lead the Mustangs women's basketball team to a 63-54 victory over the Carleton Ravens, Saturday night at Alumni Hall.
The win is the second in a one-week span for the Mustangs, and comes a day after a tough loss at the hands of the Ottawa GeeGees. Head coach Brian Cheng credited his squad's maturity and willingness to learn and grow for the victory. "I give credit to our kids. The resolve has been there. We haven't always been there, but we've always been able to rebound. I had confidence that we would see character in our team. I didn't expect anything less.
The win moves Western's record to 4-9 on the year to sit them in third place in the OUA West division. Carleton falls to 6-7 for the second slot in the OUA North division.
Maddy Horst followed Wolynski with 11 points in addition to nine rebounds. Mackenzie Puklicz was not far behind with 10 points, and Victoria Heine shot for eight points and nine rebounds.
Wolynski set the tone early by downing her first of three 3-point shots on the quarter to give Western a lead they would not let go of for the remainder of the game. On the other side of the court, she made her defensive presence known by putting pressure on the Carleton playmakers and getting in the way of the passing lanes.
Like Friday's game against Ottawa, the ball moved all over the offensive zone for the Mustangs, and it was their quick style of play that helped counter a Ravens team that was heavy in the post for rebounds. Despite Carleton's movement around the glass, Western's 58% shooting percentage from the field kept them ahead 18-11 going into the second quarter.
That success from the field continued throughout the second quarter. Wolynski stayed dominant, making 80% of her shots for 14 points in the first half. On the other side of the court, the Mustangs countered a Ravens team known for their defensive prowess by moving quickly on transitions and sticking to their pairings. Meredith McLeod was particularly speedy in following the ball, and creating a presence in front of the Carleton point guard. The home team finished the half with a 33-21 advantage.
Trouble started in the third quarter for the Mustangs when a rejuvenated Carleton defense known for limiting points held Western to just six. This effort was coupled by a collaborative offense who put together 14 to bring the game a bit closer at 39-35.
A tense moment hit the court almost two minutes into the fourth quarter when Carleton forward Lindsay Shotbolt went down with an injury. Though she was able to walk to the bench, she would come out for the remainder of the game.
When play resumed, the Carleton offense clawed back to within a point of the Mustangs thanks to a Heather Lindsay layup. Sitting at 44-43 with three minutes left in the half, victory was on the tip of both team`s fingers until Wolynski drained a three-pointer with 1:43 left to play and gave the Mustangs enough momentum to finish the night ahead. In the end, they ran out the clock for a 63-54 victory in front of a supportive home crowd.
The home stand continues on Friday, January 30 against the York Lions at Alumni Hall, where the Mustangs will Shoot for the Cure in its annual breast cancer awareness game. It is just one of many varsity events happening for Mustang Days running January 29-February 1. Tip off is at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on OUA.tv.
