Axewomen roll past Saint Mary’s with dominant 81-52 win

Acadia (8-4) earned an 81-52 win over Saint Mary's (4-7) on Saturday night, building a 31-point lead early in the fourth quarter. The Axewomen forced 24 turnovers and turned them into 24 points while controlling the paint 54–22. Saint Mary's shot 30.5 per cent from the field.

Samantha Russell led Acadia with 17 points and four steals. Bianca Helmig added nine points, nine assists and seven rebounds. Sarah Delorey finished with 15 points, three blocks and three steals. Taya Dixon recorded eight points and nine rebounds.

Angong Jacob led Saint Mary's with 24 points, two three-pointers and two steals. Lauren Armstrong added 14 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Emily Dikdan finished with six points, six rebounds and three steals, while Jordaine Francis grabbed nine boards and blocked two shots.

Acadia set the tone in the opening quarter with efficient shooting and strong defense. The Axewomen shot 50 per cent and held Saint Mary's to 27 per cent. They scored 10 points off turnovers and added 12 points in the paint to take a 27-12 lead.

The Axewomen continued to control the interior in the second quarter, scoring 16 points in the paint while allowing only six. Both teams scored 17 points in the frame, but Acadia forced eight turnovers and grabbed 15 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. Acadia carried a 44–29 lead into halftime.

Acadia broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Saint Mary's 20–6. The Axewomen went 8-for-15 from the field and scored 12 more points in the paint. Saint Mary's made only two of 15 shots and turned the ball over five times. Acadia extended its lead to 64-35 after three quarters.

The Axewomen closed out the win in the fourth, matching Saint Mary's 17-17. Acadia added 14 more points in the paint and forced six more turnovers while committing only two. The final margin was 81-52.

Acadia travels to St. John's next weekend for a doubleheader against Memorial.