Sydney, N.S. – A game that looked like it was going to be a blowout became a nail-biter in Atlantic University Sport (AUS) women's basketball action on Friday evening at Sullivan Fieldhouse. 

Sparked by a 39-point second quarter, the visiting Acadia Axewomen (6-3) took a double-digit advantage over the Cape Breton University Capers (5-5) – one that ballooned to as many as 30 in the second half – and withstood a feverish rally from the home side to score a thrilling 105-100 victory. 

Heading to the fourth quarter, led by Subway player of the game Jayda Veinot (Port Williams, N.S.), the Axewomen looked to be cruising to an easy win, but the Capers were relentless. 

After Venoit fouled out just more than midway through the final stanza – with her team leading 97-78 – the Capers, boosted by the interior dominance of Kiyara Letlow (Toronto, ON) and Hailey MacLeod (Marion Bridge, NS), with deft outside shooting from Hannah Smith (Bedford, NS) sprinkled in, finished the game on a 22-8 spurt. 

The comeback – which pulled CBU within one possession, at 103-100, in the final seconds – came up short. 

With the shot clock winding down, and draped by a Caper defender, Olivia Moller (Bedford, NS) scored the final points and sealed the hard-fought road win with a left-handed heave from just inside the three-point line. 

Not surprisingly, considering it was their first AUS action in almost three months, the teams started slowly in the opening minutes of the first quarter, with points at a premium. 

On consecutive hoops – one in the paint and one from the outside – from Letlow, the Capers led 12-6. 

After being fouled on a shot attempt from beyond the arc, Veinot canned three free throws – before making a nifty crossover move and floater in the paint on the next Acadia possession – to trim the CBU edge to 15-13. 

On the strength of five straight points from Chermensa van la Parra (Rotterdam, Netherlands), the Capers extended their advantage to 25-20. 

Veteran point guard MacKenzee Ryan (Glace Bay, N.S.), who aggressively drove to the basket from the opening whistle, meshed 12 – including five-out-of-six foul shots – to lead the home side to a 31-25 lead after the first quarter.  

The Axewomen scored the first eight points of the second quarter – and never looked back – as they parlayed their ability to get to the basket into open three-point opportunities. 

Veinot, who was unstoppable – both on the interior and perimeter – connected for 18 points in that stanza, as she and her teammates took full advantage of foul trouble for key CBU contributors. 

After Ryan canned a jumped from downtown to regain the lead for the Capers – at 34-33 – early in the second quarter, the Axewomen regained and extended their advantage. 

When Sarah Delorey (Elmsdale, NS) banked in a lay-up – off a feed from Veinot, who had just meshed six consecutive points, including an old-fashioned three-pointer and one from beyond the arc – the Axewomen took a double-digit lead at 49-38. 

In an effort to gain some momentum late in the first half, the Capers scored the final three points (they only had 11 in the second quarter) when Catherine Lallemant-Capocci (Montreal, QC) found Smith along the baseline for a lay-up. She was also fouled and made her free throw, but Acadia took a commanding 64-42 lead to the locker room. 

In the second half, the Capers came out strongly, but the Axewomen had the early answers. When Venoit drained another three-pointer, the visitors' edge mushroomed to 84-54 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter. 

Nevertheless, CBU continued to battle, with Letlow remaining physical in the paint and on the offensive glass. 

The Capers hooped the final eight points of the frame, including consecutive three-point baskets from Smith, to cut the Axewomen lead to 89-68 heading to the fourth quarter. 

In the final stanza, CBU opened with five straight points – highlighted by an old-fashioned three-point play from van la Parra – to slice the deficit to 16 points – at 89-73. 

The Capers outscored the Axewomen 32-16 in the fourth quarter.  

Veinot finished with a game-high 31 points, while adding nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and one blocked shot along with being named the Subway Player of the Game, while Delorey, with 20 points, Elizabeth Iseyami (Dartmouth, NS), 14, Sandy Saunders (Woodstock, NB), 13, and Moller (10) also scored in double figures. 

For the Capers, Ryan led the way with 24 points, while contributing six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Letlow added 23, while completing the double-double with 13 rebounds. MacLeod also finished with a double-double – 14 points and 11 rebounds. van la Parra scored 19 and contributed five assists, while Smith – off the bench – chipped in 12 points.  

The rematch between the teams is set for Sunday, Feb. 20 at the War Memorial Gymnasium in Wolfville. 

Tip-off is 1 p.m. 

By Corey LeBlanc, CBU Athletics Communications