The University of Windsor Lancers women's basketball team won a back-and-forth battle against the Guelph Gryphons by a score of 65-59 on Friday (Nov. 7) night at the Toldo Lancer Centre, improving to 4-1 (W-L) on the season and into first place in the OUA West division.
The Lancers got off to a slow start, falling behind early as the Gryphons built a 24-15 lead at the end of the first quarter. Windsor settled in during the second frame, tightening up defensively and finding their rhythm on offense. The Lancers outscored Guelph 16-9 in the quarter, cutting into the deficit but still trailing narrowly 33-31 at halftime. The Gryphons picked up their pace again in the third quarter, maintaining their offensive pressure and holding a slight edge heading into the final frame with a 52-46 lead.
The fourth quarter belonged to the Lancers. Windsor's defense turned into offense, generating 19 points off turnovers, while the bench provided crucial contributions down the stretch. Leah Tate led the charge in the final minutes, scoring eight of her 14 points in the fourth quarter and knocking down two key three-pointers to help seal the win in front of the home crowd.
Guelph held the edge in shooting percentage, finishing at 35% from the field compared to Windsor's 32.4%. The Lancers made up the difference at the free-throw line, shooting 78.3% to the Gryphons' 57%, a margin that proved pivotal in the closing moments. Both teams finished even on the glass with 40 rebounds apiece, though Windsor showed balance with 14 offensive and 26 defensive boards. Julia Chiarot led all Lancers with 17 points and six rebounds, while Tate's late surge added 14 points to her stat line. Kali Grootenboer grabbed 12 rebounds to go along with 10 points for another double-double.
Grootenboer also added three blocks, making her the third Lancer women's basketball player to ever eclipse 100 career blocks, moving past Olivia Osamusali's 99 for sole possession of third place all-time. She now sits 40 behind second-place Jessice Clemencon and 60 behind the title held by Cheyanne Roger.
With the win, the Lancers improve to 4-1, while the Gryphons fall to 3-2. Windsor returns to action at the Toldo Lancer Centre on Saturday, November 8 against the Algoma Thunderbirds. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m., and tickets can be purchased online at golancers.ca/tickets. The game can be streamed via oua.tv.