GUELPH, Ont. – On Friday night at the Guelph Gryphons Athletics Centre the U SPORTS No. 10-ranked Gryphons women's basketball team took on the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks in their 2022-23 season home opener. With one win already under their belts, the Gryphons looked to start the season 2-0 against a Golden Hawks team that had started the season with back-to-back losses to the Western Mustangs and Brock Badgers. In front of the enthusiastic Gryphon faithful, the Gryphons took control in the second half on their way to a 95-80 win over a young Golden Hawks squad.
Although holding a lead at the half, the Gryphons (2-0) felt like they had let the Golden Hawks (0-3) back into the game at times throughout the first half. Despite forcing a number of Laurier turnovers, Guelph was unable to capitalize and build the lead they would have preferred.
After some halftime adjustments the Gryphons would come out firing on all cylinders, outscoring the Lancers 31-16 in the third quarter before coasting to the win in the fourth.
After a first quarter that saw the Gryphons trail 23-19 heading into the second,
Natalie Vigna would bring life to the Guelph offence. Then fourth year guard would score 25 points in the first half and finish the game with a team-high 30 on 12-of-18 shooting. Throughout much of the second quarter the Gryphons would find themselves all-square with the visiting team, before they would begin to pull away with a 6-point lead. The Golden Hawks would respond in the final possessions of the game, cutting the Gryphon lead to just 1 headed into the locker room.
The third quarter would see the offence come alive, opening the third frame with a 13-3 run. The offence explosion in the third would see a score by committee approach with multiple Gryphons getting in on the action. Three starters would see double-digit points with Vigna (30) leading the way followed by
MacKeely Shantz (19) and
Renee Armstrong (16). Second year guard
Julia Colavecchia would also finish the night as a key contributor, racking up 6 points, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists. As a team the Gryphons had 22 assists on 39 field goals while shooting 54.2% from the field and 38.1% from beyond the 3-point line.
Off to a perfect 2-0 start to begin the 2022-23 season, the Gryphons will look to make it three in a row on Wednesday night (Nov. 16) when they head to Waterloo for a rematch with the Golden Hawks (0-3).
