Toronto, ON - Despite a valiant effort from the Mustangs on Wednesday night in Toronto, they fell to the Toronto Metropolitan University's Bold 69-46, marking the end of their 2022/23 season.
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The Mustangs started the game strong, with an excellent defensive effort led by Morgan Tamminga and Brett Fischer, who shut down TMU's quick ball movement with a locked-down zone. The team's strong rebounding and smooth transition helped them keep pace with the reigning OUA Champions.
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However, TMU's full-court defence started to put pressure on the Mustangs towards the end of the first quarter, resulting in several stops and turnovers. The first quarter ended with the Mustangs trailing behind TMU with a score of 19-8.
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The Mustangs continued to match TMU's intensity and momentum in the second quarter. Sarah Harvey, Brett Fischer, and Ariane Saumure each made key three-pointers to gain momentum and close in on TMU's lead. The Mustangs' increased intensity allowed them to create opportunities and take advantage of gaps in TMU's defence, resulting in 15 additional points.
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Despite their hard work, the Mustangs entered the third quarter down 36-24. TMU started the quarter with a 12-point run, but Ariane Saumure's layup and free throw after drawing a foul gave the Mustangs some momentum. From this, Sarah Harvey drew several blocks in the defensive end, while Brett Fischer and Ariane Saumure added 10 points in the offensive end.
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However, TMU's strong rebounding and three-point shooting ultimately proved too much for the Mustangs to overcome. The Mustangs fought until the end but couldn't pull back into the game.
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With this loss, the Mustangs are eliminated from the OUA playoffs. Despite the disappointing end to the season, the Mustangs can hold their heads high after putting up a strong effort against a formidable opponent.
