London, ON - Western took hold early in the game and never loosened its grip in a 78-44 win over Algoma Friday night.

"We worked on using both sides of the floor and not taking the first look. We wanted paint touches before anything else." said Renee Armstrong 

The first few minutes felt heavy, like the air inside Alumni Hall was waiting for someone to break it open. Shots rattled off the rim, passes skipped too wide, and Algoma clung to that lucky 1 to 0 advantage. Then came the spark. Emily Capretta jumped a passing lane, stole the ball clean, and floated to the rim for the first Mustang basket. It was like striking a match in the dark. 

From there, Sydney Cowan pushed the tempo, slicing through defenders for two quick layups that woke the crowd. Alexander's calm from the free throw line steadied the rhythm, and Capretta found Cowan again in the corner for a smooth three that landed with authority. The Mustangs surged to an 18 to 10 lead, their defense suddenly alive, their communication sharp, their energy undeniable. Algoma would never see the lead again. 

If the first quarter was the spark, the second was the fire. Western suffocated Algoma from end to end, holding them to just seven points in the entire frame. Every pass was contested, every rebound fought for, every possession a battle that Western refused to lose. 

Capretta opened the quarter with a deep three, and the team's spacing began to hum like a well tuned engine. Gabby Clive came off the bench and made an instant impact, finishing through contact and then swatting away a shot that brought the crowd to its feet. VanHeeswyk and Balfe ruled the paint, cleaning up misses and forcing turnovers inside. And when Ainsley Lane took the floor, the rhythm shifted again, her timing, her touch, her poise. In the final minute, she drove for a layup, hit a three from the wing, then closed the half with a floating finish that rolled softly off the glass as the horn sounded. Western walked off up 41 to 17, every face on the bench glowing with belief. 

The Mustangs returned from halftime with pure control. Their offense flowed through trust, Capretta orchestrating, Armstrong attacking, Cowan spacing the floor. Every possession looked deliberate, every movement crisp. Armstrong slashed through the lane for a pair of strong finishes, then fed Capretta for another clean three from the top of the key. VanHeeswyk was unstoppable underneath, muscling in layups and snatching rebounds like they were hers by right. Lane re entered and immediately sank two deep threes that froze the defense. By the end of the third, Western led 65 to 33, their bench erupting after every stop, every pass, every point. 

The final stretch was less a contest and more a celebration of Western's depth and discipline. The younger players entered and carried the same heartbeat. Baker drained a right wing three, McNary finished strong through contact, and Daly took control down the stretch with a jumper, a layup, and one final three that sealed the night with grace. Clive protected the rim with confidence, and VanHeeswyk gathered rebound after rebound as time slipped away. The scoreboard read 78 to 44, but what mattered most was not the number, it was the composure, the execution, the unity that poured out of every possession. 

"A lot of my shots came off screens. Nat did a great job hitting my defender and making sure she couldn't contest the three." said Ainsley Lane 

KEY STATS

Ainsley Lane 15 points, 2 assists
Emily Capretta 9 points, 5 rebounds, 8 steals, 5 assists 
Sydney Cowan 11 points, 3 rebounds 
Renee Armstrong 8 points, 4 rebounds, 4 steals 
Natalie VanHeeswyk 6 points, 9 rebounds, 1 block