X-Women lose close game to top seeded Huskies

Antigonish, NS - In a closely contested battle at Coach K Court, the U SPORTS No. 2 ranked Saint Mary's Huskies edged out the StFX X-Women with a 65-59 victory, fueled by efficient shooting in key moments. 

The victory also keeps the Huskies unbeaten streak intact at 17-0 as they sit atop the AUS conference. The X-Women drop to 7-9.

Saint Mary's came out firing in the first quarter, shooting 53.3% from the field and knocking down 66.7% from three-point range to establish a 19-13 lead. 

STFX responded with a strong push in the second, outscoring the Huskies 20-17 to cut the deficit to just three at halftime (36-33). 

Both teams struggled offensively in the third frame, but Saint Mary's managed to extend their lead slightly, 50-44, heading into the final period. 

The X-Women kept it close in the fourth quarter, but the Huskies' consistency at the free-throw line (75% in the second half) helped seal the win. 

Clara Gascoigne was named Player of the Game for SMU, leading her squad with 18 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 2 steals. Evie Hargraves had a double-double game with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Chloe Wilson scored 15 points. Marlo Steenbakkers added 10 points and 9 rebounds for the Huskies.

STFX Player of the Game Ekaterina Karchevskaya scored a team-high 17 points, along with contributing 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Kristine Cooper scored 10 points and had 9 rebounds and 7 assists. Jaya D'Souza netted 10 points including a pair of three-pointers. 

The X-Women were 7 of 29 (24.1%) from the three-point arc, while the Huskies hit 8 of 24 (33.3%).

Saint Mary's will be back in action on Wednesday, February 12^th when they host Acadia. The X-Women will host UNB on Friday, February 14^th. Game time for both matches is 6:00 pm.

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