London, ON - The night in Alumni Hall began with a sharp buzz in the air. Two good teams ready to battle, both benches alive with emotion, and the crowd leaning forward from the first second. You could feel it in the air that this would not be a quiet game. 

Western came out strong with two quick layups that set the tone. Then Paris Alexander found her rhythm and hit a three that sent the gym into chaos. The sound was instant, loud, and full of belief. The bench jumped, the fans rose, and the Mustangs played with fire. Guelph stayed steady and punched back with tough baskets of their own. Every possession carried weight as both sides traded blows. The quarter ended tied at twenty two twenty two, the perfect reflection of how even and intense it had been. 

The energy changed. The game slowed down, every basket earned through grit. Guelph started to find small openings, drawing fouls, finishing through contact, and going on a thirteen point run that forced Western to call timeout. The noise dipped for a moment, but then something shifted. Rachel Daly drove hard to the basket for a clean finish. Sydney Cowan followed with another layup that brought the team back to life. Then a smooth three dropped and the place came alive again. Moments later Renee Armstrong came flying across the lane and blocked a layup straight off the glass, a play that made the crowd explode. The bench was screaming and the whole energy changed again. Western went into the half full of fight and confidence. 

"We gotta turn into a full court game, i think the more we try to play half court the more the people are gonna be able to score in the paint, the more we can turn into a track meet and get it into some of our full court pressure the more than we can play to our advantage which is our depth and speed." said Head Coach Nate McKibbon.

The third quarter was a long test of heart. Both teams traded baskets, neither willing to give in. Cowan opened with a confident three, Armstrong carved through traffic, and Emily Capretta kept fighting on the glass. Natalie VanHeeswyk stood tall inside, taking hits and controlling space. Guelph relied on Christina Morra's footwork and Hannah Bourdon's midrange shots to stay ahead. Western kept battling, staying right on their heels. Even trailing by eleven heading into the fourth, the team looked ready for one last push. 

The final quarter was all spirit. Western came out playing with nothing left to lose. The defense tightened and the energy on the floor was electric. Armstrong attacked the basket again, finishing through traffic. Capretta dove to the floor for a loose ball, flipping it to Cowan who drilled a corner three that sent the building into a roar. Guelph called timeout as the crowd stood and cheered for the run. The Mustangs believed. For a few minutes it looked like the comeback was within reach. Guelph stayed composed though, relying on Morra's strength inside and Bourdon's control and focus to close out the night. 

"We gotta find a way to manufacture easy buckets, we actually got good shots, defence was pretty good but when we got under the run we had too many turnovers and easy shots." said McKibbon.

KEY STATS

Sydney Cowan 20 points 3 threes 
Renee Armstrong 19 points 7 rebounds 7 assists 4 steals 3 blocks 
Natalie VanHeeswyk 9 points 8 rebounds 
Paris Alexander 10 points 4 assists 
Emily Capretta 10 rebounds 5 points