Acadia16-324-5Len Harvey
Saint Mary’s15-520-9Scott Munro
U.P.E.I.13-717-11Matt Gamblin
New Brunswick12-820-11Jeff Speedy
Memorial10-914-12Mark English
Cape Breton 9-1114-18Fabian McKenzie
St. Francis Xavier 3-17 5-19Matt Spencer
Dalhousie 1-19 2-23Tanya McKay

Playoff non-qualifiers:

     Dalhousie Tigers: Emma Ward, Lindsay Black, Katie Crombeen, Jasenda Horsman, Anjuli Gosal, Abby Carpenter, Anna Parsons, Madeleine Maillet, Sarah Valley, Andrea Hebert, Kelsey Crocker, Katie Wuotila, Gracie Dalton, Mercy Olugu, redshirt Ayoka De Santos-Gutierrez, redshirt Naomie Hicks, coach Tanya McKay, assistant Anton Berry, assistant Joe Wells, strength & conditioning Brett Armstrong

        St. Francis Xavier X-Women: Katie Upham, Mali Straker, Avery Walker, Ekaterina Karchevskaya, Laia Torrent Blanco, Jaya D’Souza, Courtney Taylor, Elizabeth Kennedy, Melina Collins, Sarah Mowat, Aliyah Fraser, Abby Gyori, Lauren Neeve, Kira Atherley, Kristine Cooper, coach Matt Spencer, assistant Tyrone Watson, assistant Alana Lawn, manager Taylor Gorman, equipment manager Keisha Gillis, video coordinator Quendara Provo, student therapist Talia Deliman, student therapist Ella MacLaren

        In the quarterfinals, the 4th-seeded New Brunswick Varsity Reds nipped the 5th-seeded Memorial Sea-Hawks 77-76 in overtime. The score was knotted at 18 after one quarter. The Sea-Hawks led 41-35 at the half and 56-55 after three quarters. The score was knotted at 65 after regulation after Sea-Hawk Alyssa Jenkins hit a free throw with 6.8 seconds to play. Varsity Reds player of the game Jayda Veinot, who notched a critical trey in overtime, said “I think we let it be a bit of a messy game today,” said Veinot. “At the end of the day, we gritted through what wasn’t clean basketball and came out with the win and I don’t think you can ask for much more than that. … I think we’ve had some close games this year and the girls on the court stayed together and composed in the moment. So even if things weren’t going our way in the end of the game, we were still together and focused on getting one stop at the time.” Varsity Reds coach Jeff Speedy said “well, I entered the game a 53-year-old and I came out of the game a 63-year-old. They’re a heck of a basketball team. This time of year, it’s about winning and advancing. We didn’t exactly play great, but we did enough things to get the win.” Speedy added that the Reds post play proved the difference. “I think we have an advantage at that position against a lot of teams,” said Speedy. “With Katie (Butts) and Jennie [Nkuah] in there, I think that’s a strength of our team and we feel really good about that position.” Jayda Veinot paced the Varsity Reds with 27 on 12-29 from the floor, 3-7 from the arc, 16 boards, 6 assists and 2 steals. Katie Butts added 16 on 7-15 from the floor, 2-3 from the line and 17 boards. Kylee Speedy notched 13 on 5-11 from the floor, 1-5 from the arc, 2-4 from the line and 4 boards. Erin Ingalls scored 7 on 2-5 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 3-8 from the line and 5 boards. Marley Curwin added 6 on 2-11 from the arc, 3 boards and 2 assists. Jennifer Nkuah scored 3 on 1-3 from the floor, 5 boards and 3 blocks. McKinley Bezanson added 3 on 1-3 from the floor and 1-2 from the arc. Jolianne Guay scored 2 on 0-3 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-2 from the line and 4 boards, while Katie McAffee, Madalynn Kean, Leah Travers and Ellen Hatt were scoreless. McAffee nabbed 3 boards. The Varsity Reds hit 30-82 (.366) from the floor, 7-27 (.259) from the line and 10-19 (.526) from the arc, while garnering 58 boards, including 22 on the offensive glass, 18 fouls, 10 assists, 14 turnovers, 6 blocks and 7 steals. Alana Short paced the Sea-Hawks with 22 on 7-23 from the floor, 1-6 from the arc, 7-9 from the line, 5 boards and 2 assists. Ines Salat Margarit added 19 on 7-13 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 4-6 from the line, 14 boards, 3 assists and 3 steals. Alyssa Jenkins notched 10 on 4-10 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-6 from the line and 5 boards. Gabrielle Roche scored 10 on 5-10 from the floor, 0-1 from the line, 10 boards, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Rebecka Ekstrom added 8 on 2-10 from the floor, 2-7 from the arc, 2-2 from the line, 3 boards and 4 assists. Hannah Green scored 7 on 3-6 from the floor, 1-2 from the arc and 3 boards, while Malva Gyllenhammar-Ekelof, Laura Murray, Eavan McLaughlin, Erin Long, Sarah-Kim Cote and Brooke Ledevehat were scoreless. The Sea-Hawks hit 28-74 (.378) from the floor, 5-19 (.263) from the arc and 15-24 (.625) from the line, while garnering 41 boards, including 11 on the offensive glass, 15 fouls, 14 assists, 9 turnovers, 4 blocks and 7 steals. The Sea-Hawks (coach Mark English, assistant Marilyn Fitzpatrick, assistant Jane Baird, assistant Patrick English, therapist Krista Mullaly-Dobbin) also included Emma Power, Caroline Jardine and Mackenzi Chapman.

        In the other quarterfinal, the 3rd-seeded U.P.E.I. Panthers edged the 6th-seeded Cape Breton Capers 71-67 in overtime. The Capers led 14-0 early and 20-11 after one quarter. The Panthers led 34-31 at the half after notching a 15-0 run in the second quarter. Cape Breton opened the second half with a 9-2 run to pull in front 40-36 but Zoffranieri notched a trey to give the Panthers a 41-40 lead. The score was knotted at 46 after three quarters. Rookie Panthers player of the game Samantha Zoffranieri notched a pair of runouts to give UPEI a 55-50 lead and the stole the ball for a runout to make it 58-50.  The score was knotted at 65 after regulation after Caper Darah Fleurgin notched a putback at the buzzer off a deliberate miss by Mackenzee Ryan (which did not touch the rim, but the refs couldn’t overturn a non-call) at the free throw line. In the overtime, the Panthers defence clamped down on the Capers and UPEI iced it on a late steal by Sydney Cummins. Zoffranieri said “I just go out there to work hard. When I’m playing, it’s not about me. I just focus on the game and what’s best for the team.” Panthers coach Matt Gamblin called the win exhausting. “The way they gutted it out over time was impressive.” Samantha Zoffranieri paced the Panthers with 17 on 7-15 from the floor, 2-4 from the arc, 1-2 from the line, and 10 boards. Lauren Rainford added 15 on 4-18 from the floor, 1-5 from the arc, 6-7 from the line and 4 assists. Aiden Rainford notched 14 on 6-18 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-6 from the line and 10 boards. Karla Yepez scored 9 on 4-10 from the floor, 1-4 from the arc and 5 boards. Alicia Bowering added 6 on 1-10 from the floor, 1-4 from the arc, 3-4 from the line, 2 boards and 2 assists. Grace Lancaster scored 6 on 1-2 from the floor, 4-5 from the line and 4 boards. Sydney Cummins added 2 on 0-2 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-6 from the line and 3 boards. Devon Lawlor added 2 on 1-3 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc and 2 boards, while Elise Plaschka was scoreless and nabbed 4 boards. The Panthers hit 24-80 (.300) from the floor, 5-20 from the arc and 18-30 (.600) from the line, while garnering 41 boards, including 12 on the offensive glass, 17 fouls, 10 assists. 17 turnovers, 3 blocks and 6 steals. Mackenzee Ryan paced the Capers with 19 on 6-16 from the floor, 3-7 from the arc, 4-5 from the line, 2 boards and 3 assists. Kiyara Letlow added 14 on 7-11 from the floor, 19 boards, 4 assists and 2 steals. Darah Fleurgin notched 10 on 3-12 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 4-6 from the line, 9 boards, 2 assists and 4 steals. Hannah Smith scored 10 on 3-9 from the floor, 2-7 from the arc and 2-3 from the line. Chermensa Van La Parra added 5 on 1-9 from the floor, 0-2 from the arc, 3-8 from the line and 3 assists. Leandra Hersey scored 5 on 2-7 from the floor and 1-2 from the arc. Hailey MacLeod added 4 on 1-5 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 2-2 from the line, 5 boards and 3 assists, while Catherine Lallemant-Capocci and Eirin Vreim Holm were scoreless. Lallemant-Capocci nabbed 2 boards. The Capers hit 23-69 (.333) from the floor, 6-20 (.300) from the arc and 15-24 (.625) from the line, while garnering 39 boards, including 5 on the offensive glass, 22 fouls, 15 assists, 16 turnovers, 2 blocks and 8 steals. The Capers (coach Fabian McKenzie, assistant Doug Connors) also included Abby Linehan, Kristen Taylor, Rhianna MacDonald, Hannah Smith and Claudia Pellerin.

        In the semis, the top-seeded Acadia Axewomen dispatched the 4th-seeded New Brunswick Varsity Reds 77-69 to qualify for their sixth consecutive final. The Varsity Reds led 20-18 after one quarter. The Axewomen led 47-37 at the half, after repeatedly parading to the foul line, and 64-52 after three quarters. Kylie Speedy notched a pair of treys to draw New Brunswick within four with 4:19 to play but the Axewomen countered with a 7-0 run after Sami Russell twice pilfered the ball to take control. Varsity Reds coach Jeff Speedy said “we knew we needed to play a great game to beat Acadia. I thought we played a really good game, but really good wasn’t quite good enough to get a win. … I thought we lost focus a couple of times trying to block shots and steal the ball when we shouldn’t have. We got burned for it, putting them on the free throw line way too much.” Player of the game Haley McDonald paced the Axewomen with 21 on 5-18 from the floor, 1-6 from the arc, 10-11 from the line, 9 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals. Sarah Delorey added 19 on 7-9 from the floor, 5-6 from the line and 5 boards. Bianca Helmig notched 11 on 2-5 from the floor, 1-1 from the arc, 6-6 from the line, 3 boards, 2 assists and 2 steals. Samantha Russell scored 11 on 3-8 from the floor, 0-2 from the arc, 5-6 from the line, 5 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals. Elizabeth Iseyemi added 7 on 2-9 from the floor, 3-4 from the line and 6 boards. Sandy Saunders scored 5 on 2-5 from the floor and 1-3 from the arc. Olivia Moller added 3 on 0-1 from the arc and 3-3 from the line, while Sophie Atkinson and Julia Sylvester were scoreless. Sylvester nabbed 3 boards. The Axewomen hit 21-55 (.382) from the floor, 3-13 (.231) from the arc and 32-36 (.889) from the line, while garnering 33 boards, including 6 on the offensive glass, 15 fouls, 9 assists, 17 turnovers and 9 steals. Jayda Veinot paced the Varsity Reds with 18 on 4-12 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 9-9 from the line, and 12 boards. Kylee Speedy added 11 on 3-12 from the floor, 2-5 from the arc, 3-3 from the line and 6 assists. Jennifer Nkuah notched 11 on 5-10 from the floor, 1-2 from the line and 10 boards. Jolianne Guay scored 9 on 3-6 from the floor, 2-5 from the arc, 1-2 from the line, 2 assists and 2 steals. Katie Butts notched 8 on 4-8 from the floor and 9 boards. Ellen Hatt added 4 on 2-4 from the floor and 0-2 from the arc. Marley Curwin scored 3 on 1-7 from the floor, 1-5 from the arc, 4 boards and 5 assists. Katie McAffee added 3 on 1-4 from the floor and 1-2 from the arc. Madalyn Kean scored 2 on 1-1 from the floor, while McKinley Bezanson, Erin Ingalls and Leah Travers were scoreless. Ingalls nabbed 2 boards. The Varsity Reds hit 24-66 (.364) from the floor, 7-22 (.318) from the arc and 14-17 (.824) from the line, while garnering 40 boards, including 12 on the offensive glass, 26 fouls, 17 assists, 18 turnovers, 3 blocks and 6 steals.

        In the other semi, the 2nd-seeded Saint Mary’s Huskies clipped the 3rd-seeded U.P.E.I. Panthers 67-60 after leading 25-15, 40-28 and 57-42 at the quarters. The Panthers opened the second half with a 9-0 run but the Huskies regained control when Lucina Beaumont and Alaina McMillan hit back-to-back treys. “Coming off last year’s loss in the semifinal, we were all very amped up and excited to play here again and get another opportunity to win,” player of the game McMillan said. “We lost to PEI twice this season, and I think we were really amped up to get our first win against them, and play aggressive defence and shut down their main players.” The key, she added, was “just trusting ourselves. I wrote on our paper in the changeroom today, discipline, communication and trusting each other, those are our three keys to winning.” Alaina McMillan paced the Huskies with 18 on 6-17 from the floor, 4-10 from the arc, 2-3 from the line, 5 boards and 3 steals. Clara Gascoigne added 13 on 3-12 from the floor, 1-1 from the arc, 6-7 from the line, 6 boards, 2 assists, 5 blocks and 5 steals. Sophia Widmeyer notched 10 on 1-9 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 7-8 from the line and 5 boards. Courtney Donaldson scored 8 on 2-9 from the floor, 0-2 from the arc, 4-6 from the line, 2 boards and 3 assists. Aki Kobayashi added 7 on 1-9 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc, 5-6 from the line and 2 boards. Lucina Beaumont scored 6 on 1-8 from the floor, 1-2 from the arc, 3-4 from the line and 9 boards. Sara Forgie scored 5 on 1-5 from the floor, 1-2 from the arc, 2-2 from the line and 4 boards, while Katelyn Power and Isabella Mackay were scoreless. Power nabbed 5 boards, dished 2 assists and pilfered 2 balls. The Huskies hit 15-70 (.214) from the floor, 8-21 (.381) from the arc and 29-36 (.806) from the line, while garnering 38 boards, including 12 on the offensive glass, 16 fouls, 9 assists, 16 turnovers, 7 blocks and 13 steals. Lauren Rainford paced the Panthers with 13 on 4-22 from the floor, 0-3 from the arc, 5-6 from the line, 5 boards and 4 steals. Aiden Rainford added 12 on 6-9 from the floor and 10 boards. Samantha Zoffranieri notched 11 on 4-11 from the floor, 2-4 from the arc and 1-2 from the line. Karla Yepez scored 8 on 4-8 from the floor, 0-2 from the line, 4 boards and 2 blocks. Sydney Cummins added 7 on 2-5 from the floor, 3-3 from the line, 6 boards and 4 assists. Sydney Whitlock notched 4 on 1-2 from the floor, 1-1 from the arc, 1-2 from the line and 2 boards. Alicia Bowering scored 2 on 1-4 from the floor, 0-2 from the arc and 2 boards. Devon Lawlor added 2 on 0-5 from the floor, 0-3 from the arc, 2-2 from the line and 4 boards. Grace Lancaster scored 2 on 0-2 from the arc and 2 boards, while Sydney Lawlor, Lauren Hainstock and Elise Plaschka were scoreless. The Panthers hit 22-70 (.314) from the floor, 3-14 (.214) from the arc and 13-19 (.684) from the line, while garnering 37 boards, including 8 on the offensive glass, 23 fouls, 8 assists, 16 turnovers, 3 blocks and 6 steals.

        In the final, the 2nd-seeded Saint Mary’s Huskies toppled the top-seeded Acadia Axewomen 68-56 after leading 22-14, 33-31 and 49-44 at the quarters. The Huskies notched on 8-0 run in the first quarter on a trey and a bucket from Alaina McMillan. Acadia rallied to within two at the half as Lizzie Iseyemi kept drawing fouls in the paint and draining free throws. The Axewomen took the lead in the second half as they notched a 7-0 run ignited by a trey from Sandy Saunders. But Courtney Donaldson and Sarah Forgie hit back-to-back treys as the Huskies rallied to take a five-point lead into the final frame. They opened the final frame with a 10-2 run, including a trey and a jumper from Sophia Widmeyer and featuring stellar defence by player of the game Clara Gascoigne. Iseyemi notched a pair of layups to cut the margin to five with two minutes to play but Donaldson answered with a dagger trey that buried Acadia hopes and McMillan iced the win with four free throws. Tournament MVP McMillan said “I think the key was the same thing all tournament, discipline and understanding that Acadia is a great team, they are going to make their shots, and we’re going to have lulls, but if we just stay confident in what we have to do, know what we had to execute on defence and take the opportunities on offence and drain those shots.” Player of the game Clara Gascoigne said “I’m just so happy that we won. We know we can score, we have so many players that can score on our team, but it just came down to defence, we just had to dig in and get stops, and I think we did pretty well.” Alaina McMillan paced the Huskies with 20 on 5-13 from the floor, 4-9 from the arc, 6-6 from the line, 5 boards, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Clara Gascoigne added 15 on 6-14 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 2-3 from the line, 8 boards and 6 assists. Courtney Donaldson notched 12 on 4-10 from the floor, 4-7 from the arc and 3 boards. Sophia Widmeyer scored 10 on 4-18 from the floor, 2-10 from the arc and 6 boards. Lucina Beaumont added 5 on 2-7 from the floor, 1-2 from the arc, 8 boards, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Aki Kobayashi scored 3 on 0-2 from the floor, 3-4 from the line, 5 boards and 2 assists. Sarah Forgie added 3 on 1-3 from the arc, while Katelyn Power and Marlo Steenbakkers were scoreless. Power nabbed 2 boards. The Huskies hit 22-68 (.324) from the floor, 13-35 (.371) from the arc and 11-13 (.846) from the line, while garnering 38 boards, including 7 on the offensive glass, 10 fouls, 14 assists, 16 turnovers, 5 blocks and 6 steals. Elizabeth Iseyemi paced the Axewomen with 18 on 6-18 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 5-8 from the line, 11 boards and 5 assists. Sandy Saunders added 8 on 3-13 from the floor, 2-10 from the arc and 9 boards. Sarah Delorey notched 8 on 4-7 from the floor, 0-1 from the arc and 4 boards. Bianca Helmig scored 7 on 2-11 from the floor, 1-6 from the arc, 2-2 from the line, 4 assists and 2 steals. Samantha Russell added 7 on 3-6 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 7 boards and 2 assists. Haley McDonald scored 5 on 2-10 from the floor, 1-3 from the arc, 2 boards and 5 assists. Olivia Moller added 3 on 1-4 from the floor, 1-2 from the arc and 2 boards, while Jewel Woolfitt and Julia Sylvester were scoreless. Sylvester nabbed 2 boards and blocked 2 shots. The Axewomen hit 21-69 (.304) from the floor, 7-28 (.250) from the arc and 7-10 from the line, while garnering 40 boards, including 8 on the offensive glass, 16 fouls, 16 assists, 14 turnovers, 2 blocks and 6 steals.

After the season, New Brunswick coach Jeff Speedy announces his retirement after 17 years at the helm of the Varsity Reds to become the university’s associate director of athletics. Speedy commenced his coaching career in 1990-91 as an assistant at Acadia. He then spent two years at Victoria as an assistant before become the Vikes head coach for one season. He then served as an assistant to Varsity Reds coach Joyce Douthwright. Speedy was replaced at the helm by U.B.C. coach Erin McAleenan, a Sussex, N.B. native and graduate of Acadia University.

The co-bronze medalist New Brunswick Varsity Reds: Kylee Speedy; Marley Curwin; Ann Bastien; Madalynn Kean; McKinley Bezanson; Jayda Veinot; Alexanne L’Heureux; Erin Ingalls; Leah Travers; Katie McAffee; Katie Butts; Jennifer Nkuah; Joliane Guay; coach Jeff Speedy; assistant Peter Kelly; assistant Colleen Daly; manager Sydney Campbell; student therapist Bree Hallett; student therapist Thomas McMurtry

The co-bronze medalist Prince Edward Island Panthers: Sydney Whitlock; Sydney Lawlor; Sydney Cummins; Grace Lancaster; Samantha Zoffranieri; Alicia Bowering; Lauren Rainford; Reilly Sullivan; Lauren Hainstock; Devon Lawlor; Aiden Rainford; Elise Plaschka; Karla Yepez Villamorin; coach Matt Gamblin; assistant Harris Campbell; assistant April Gamblin

The silver medalist Acadia Axewomen: Sandy Saunders; Haley McDonald; Megan Hebert; Amelie Bouchard; Ryan George; Bianca Helmig; Olivia Moller; Elizabeth Iseyemi; Jewel Woolfit; Taya Dixon; Tegan Reynolds; Sophie Atkinson; Sarah Delorey; Samantha Russell; Julia Sylvester; coach Len Harvey; assistant Lindsay Harris

The champion Saint Mary’s Huskies: Katelyn Power; Courtney Donaldson; Sarah Forgie; Sarah Burnell; Clara Gascoigne; Alaina McMillan; Aiyanna Emphringham; Marlo Steenbakkers; Isabella MacKay; Sophia Widmeyer; Lucina Beaumont; Kristin Holt; Aki Kobayashi; Georgia Williams; Chloe Wilson; coach Scott Munro; assistant Chad Wadden; assistant Les Berry; assistant Kara Hayes; strength & conditioning Erik Richard