Axewomen open preseason play with win over Lakers

(WOLFVILLE, N.S.) The Axewomen basketball team kicked off the preseason with a one-sided 80-47 win over the visiting Nipissing Lakers. The Lakers, who come off of a 0-19 season last year will hope to pick up wins against Saint Mary's, Dalhousie or Cape Breton on the remainder of their Nova Scotia Tour.

The Axewomen led for the entire game and had a 10-0 lead in the first quarter until Laker Heidi Smith's three pointer broke the goose egg. Wrapping up with a 14-9 lead after the first frame, Acadia stretched the lead to 39-25 after one half on the play of third year guard Paloma Anderson who had 16 points in the first half.

Acadia dominated the third frame, pulling out to a 58-27 by the end of the third quarter and out-scoring the Lakers 19-2. The largest lead of the game would be just under the nine minute mark when Emily MacLeod sank two free throw shots to give the Axewomen a 35 point lead at 62-27.

In the final quarter, Nipissing kept pace with the Axewomen in a 22-20 fourth frame loss.

Paloma Anderson posted 34 points and was named the Subway Player of the Game, while Laker Claire Abbott captured the same honour with 11 points. Third year forward Maire Burke had a break-out game of nine points that included four defensive rebounds and two blocks.

The Lakers head to Halifax to take on the reining AUS champions Saint Mary's Huskies and then visit Dalhousie and Cape Breton before returning home, while the Axewomen head to UPEI for the Mickey Place Tournament where they will meet the Ottawa Gee Gees on Friday afternoon at 2pm and then take on Bishop's on Saturday at 2pm and UPEI on Sunday at 1pm.