Women's Basketball Weekend Recap | November 18, 2017
The Lakeland Rustlers split their weekend series with the Keyano Huskies in Lloydminster over the weekend. Friday night, Huskies beat the Rustlers 69-60, while Saturday afternoon the Rustlers bounced back from their two-game losing streak with a 56-49 win.
The Keyano Huskies defeated the Lakeland Rustlers 69-60 Friday night in Lloydminster. The Rustlers came out shooting and knocked down back to back three-pointers to open up a quick 6-0 lead. The Huskies responded and took the lead 8-7. The two teams would go back and forth for the rest of the quarter before the Huskies took a 12-11 lead after the first. The Huskies took control in the second quarter, knocking down jump shots and outrebounding the Rustlers. Halfway through the quarter, the Huskies had built a 6 point lead, which they increased to 9 with three minutes to go in the half. The Rustlers continued to shoot jumpers that weren't falling and found themselves down 35-25 at the half.
The Huskies opened up a 14 point lead to start the third quarter and increased it to 18 with six minutes to go. The Rustlers continued to shoot and miss jump shots, and the Huskies led 56-40 after three. The two teams would start the fourth quarter trading baskets before the Rustlers were able to cut the lead to 9. The Rustlers were able to cut the Huskies lead to 7, but could not get any closer, dropping the game 69-60.
The Rustlers were led by first year guard Kaitlyn Tonita with 18 points, six rebounds, two steals and an assist. Fifth year forward Kellsey Sinnett came off the bench to give the Rustlers 11 points and six rebounds, earning her Player of the Game honors.
Sinnett shared her thoughts on the difference between winning the first seven games of the season and losing the past two.
"In the first seven wins, skill got us by," Sinnett said, "but in the last few games, we have had to figure out a different way to win. A struggle for us all season has been the slow start and rocky first half and picking it up in the second half. When we play tough teams that isn't going to fly for us because they are going to play hard the whole game and they are going to beat us at the end. We need to pick up our energy, our intensity, wanting it, all things that we can easily change. It is a choice in our heads, not a skill like layups, it's just straight up trying. We can't wait for that moment in the game to play harder."
Fourth year forward Anna Mbuyi shared her frustrations following the team's second consecutive loss. "We put in the work since August, we bust our butts in practice, we get through injuries, we get through fatigue, and you put in all this work to win, so it's just frustrating when you don't win," Mbuyi said.
Saturday, the Rustlers bounced back and defeated the Huskies 56-49. The Rustlers came out strong to start the game, getting out to a quick 6-0 lead. The Huskies responded with a 6-0 run of their own before the teams would go back and forth. The Rustlers were able to get the push the ball up the court and get it inside to #9, Shania Magnusson, helping them build a 14-10 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Rustlers came out with a 10-2 run, showing strong defensive pressure, forcing the Huskies into taking bad shots and turnover the ball while.
The Huskies were able to score on defensive breakdowns by the Rustlers late in the quarter, and the Rustlers led 28-24 at the half. The Rustlers came out strong to start the third quarter, going on an 11-2 run, opening up a 13 point lead. The Rustlers would then go on a scoring drought while the Huskies were able to cut the lead to 6. The Huskies couldn't cut into the lead anymore before the end of the quarter, and the Rustlers took a 44-36 lead into the fourth. The teams went back and forth to start the fourth quarter before both teams would go on a scoring drought. The Rustlers took control late in the quarter and won the game, 56-49.
The Rustlers were led by fifth year forward and Player of the Game Shania Magnusson, with 12 points, three rounds, two rebounds, a block and an assist. The Rustlers also got nine points off the bench from second year guard Angela Baran and ten rebounds from third year forward Brianne Hergott.
The Rustlers will play their final games of the semester next weekend against the Augustana Vikings. The Rustlers host the Vikings Friday night at 6:00 pm before traveling to Camrose Saturday night to face the same Vikings team.