LETHBRIDGE, AB – It was the Pronghorns who emerged victorious on Friday night's Shoot for the Cure game between the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns and University of the Fraser Valley Cascades at the University of Lethbridge Gymnasium. The Horns entered the game as the underdog, as the University of the Fraser Valley had only lost one game prior to the match up, while the Horns entered with a 9-3 record on the season.
Pronghorns started the scoring on Friday night at the University of Lethbridge Gymnasium, as Courtney McKee split the defence to find her way to hoop. Julia Tuchscherer answered for the visiting Cascades off an offensive rebound putback. The Cascades went on a run to take a seven-point lead in the game, as the Pronghorns faced trouble scoring over the collapsing UFV defense. A three-pointer from Kyra Collier, changed the momentum in the Pronghorns favour and with makes from beyond the arc by Vlada Hozalova and Viktoriia Kovalevska the Horns led 17-15 after the first quarter.
In the second quarter, both teams battled for control of the game, as the Horns found offensive success from the three-point line, while the Cascades were able to use their size inside to earn points in the paint. Out of a Cascades' timeout, Deanna Tuchscherer earned the three for UFV, but Piper Dobbelsteyn responded, cashing a three for the Horns on the other end of the court. Natalie Rathler found a way to cut through the Horns defense to give UFV the lead and with a three-point make by Maddy Gobeil to end the half, the Cascades led 41-33 going into the third quarter.
The Horns came out firing in the third frame, with a number Pronghorns scoring to put Lethbridge back within reach. Abby Graves earned the points in the paint to tie the game for host, Pronghorns, while on the other end, the Cascades struggled to find their offensive stride, scoring only nine points in the quarter. As time expired in quarter three, the Horns held the lead at 58-50.
Nikki Cabuco earned the shot from beyond the arc for the visiting Cascades, to bring the lead back within three to start the fourth quarter. Maddy Gobeil continued to push the pace of play, coming up with a steal for the Cascades to put them back on the offensive, where Deanna Tuchscherer made it count for the visitors. With less than three minutes left in the game, Kamryn DeKlerk found Abby Graves wide open under the basket and the Horns were back up seven. Maddy Gobeil continued to go at the Horns, forcing Lethbridge to foul and making it count from the free throw lines to bring the game back within one. Out of the Horns' timeout, Kyra Collier found Abby Graves on the three-point line to extend the Horns lead. Courtney McKee added another layup for the Pronghorns and despite UFV laying their bodies on the line through the final seconds of the game the Horns came up with the victory, 73-67.