Basketball X-Women end 2015 on winning note

Antigonish, N.S. – The StFX X-Women wrapped up 2015 with an 82-78 exhibition victory over the visiting Winnipeg Wesmen on New Year's Eve at Oland Centre.

Keyed by a 12-2 surge during the final four minutes of the game, the X-Women clinched the win on their home floor.

Trailing 68-67, Lindsay Lessard (Waterloo, ON) made a left-handed lay-up off a pass from Marcy Robinson (Bastrop, LA) to give the blue and white a lead they would not relinquish.

On the next sequence, the X-Women brought the crowd to its feet when Robinson started a face break with a steal and lead pass to Carolyn Smith (Montreal, QC), who fed Courtney Kilyk (Fonthill, ON) for a driving basket to complete the two-on-one fast break.

Winnipeg battled back and cut the StFX advantage to 80-78, with less than seven seconds remaining, on a three-point shot from Brittania Brown (Toronto, ON).

While trying to complete the rally, with 1.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, the Wesmen fouled Smith, who made both free throws to seal the deal.

In a back-and-forth match-up, the biggest lead for either team was seven points.

Winnipeg, who led 19-17 after the first quarter, took a 41-39 at halftime on a buzzer-beating three-pointer from deep by Megan Noonan (Winnipeg, MB).

In the third quarter, the X-Women jumped to a 55-50 lead after a 6-0 run, but the Wesmen responded with a 10-2 burst to end the period and take a 60-57 edge.

In the final 10 minutes, several X-Women chipped in, including veterans Kolbi Roper (North Vancouver, BC) and Lessard, who made key baskets down the stretch.

The X-Women will return to the court this weekend, when they participate in the annual Dyrick McDermott Invitational exhibition tournament at Mount Saint Vincent University in Bedford.

On New Year's Day, they will face the Mount Allison Mounties at 4 p.m.

Saturday (Jan. 2), at 11 a.m., the X-Women will tip-off against the host Mystics, while at 8 p.m., they will play the St. Thomas Tommies.

StFX will wind up the tourney Sunday, Jan. 3, with their opponent and game time to be determined by their results over the first two days of competition.

The X-Women will return to AUS regular season action Friday, Jan. 8, when they travel to Halifax to face the Dalhousie Tigers in a 6 p.m. start.

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