Mystics Outlast Mounties in Hard-Fought Battle

(Halifax, NS) The Mount Saint Vincent Mystics defeated the Mount Allison Mounties 77-55 Sunday afternoon at the A. Garnet Brown Memorial Gymnasium. 

Celine Sterckel (Moncton, NB) led the charge for the Mystics, as she finished with a team-high 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals. Victoria Strickland (St. John's, NL) steadied the way for the Mystics, as she chipped in with 15 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Rounding out the offence for the Mystics, Keezaidra Smith (North Preston, NS) scored 9 points, 7 rebounds, and three steals. 

Danielle Alexander led the way for the Mounties as she finished with a game-high 21 points and 16 rebound double-double, as she added 4 assists and 4 steals. Bella Taylor (Truro, NS) came off the bench for the Mounties and recorded 13 points and 2 assists. Nora Miller (Kemptville, ON) tallied 9 points and 3 assists for the Mounties. 

The Mounties opened the first quarter with pace, turning strong defensive rebounds into transition points as Nora Miller and Danielle Alexander finished consecutive layups. The Mystics answered quickly, with Lily Newberry (Yellowknife, NT) and Celine Sterckel knocking down back-to-back threes to even the score at 6. Mount Allison regained the edge when Emma Roberts connected from deep after crisp ball movement, pushing the lead to 11–9. Momentum swung firmly in the Mounties' favour late in the frame as Sadie Bowen (Antigonish, NS) scored on back-to-back layups in transition, extending the lead to 17–10 and prompting a Mystics timeout with just over a minute remaining. Out of the break, Victoria Strickland provided a steadying basket with a driving left-handed layup, and Elissa Brice (Rothesay, NB) closed the quarter by beating the buzzer with a floater to bring the Mystics back within striking distance at 17–14.

The Mounties carried their momentum into the second quarter, starting with Alexander knocking down a baseline jumper off a feed from Grace Tilley (Rothesay, NB). Bella Taylor (Truro, NS) sparked an energetic push off the bench, scoring in transition and later drilling a deep three as the shot clock expired to stretch the Mounties' lead to 24–14. Keezaidra Smith momentarily halted the run with a tough driving layup in traffic, but Alexander answered again with a turnaround jumper in the lane. A strong defensive stand helped Mount Allison extend the gap, as Bowen's block led to another transition finish from Taylor. Moments later, Mikala Scott (Fredericton, NB) forced a steal and sprinted the floor, converting a layup thanks to a well-placed pass from Jenna Matheson (Halifax, NS), who then cut backdoor for a basket of her own. Taylor continued to dominate the frame, picking off a Mystics outlet pass and scoring uncontested to push the Mounties ahead 33–22. The Mystics responded with a late surge, led by Strickland, who turned a pair of Mounties turnovers into consecutive driving layups. Emma Empringham (Sackville, NS) added a determined finish through contact in the closing moments, helping the Mystics close the gap and trim the Mounties' halftime lead to 37–30.

The Mystics came out of halftime with purpose, opening the third quarter on a 6–0 run. Strickland ignited the surge with a driving layup, followed by a tough finish in traffic from Empringham. Sterckel then scored off a well-timed dump-down pass from Newberry, pulling the Mystics within striking distance. The Mounties halted the run briefly when Alexander attacked the rim for a layup, but Strickland answered again in transition, trimming the Mount Allison lead to just one. Jenna Matheson continued the Mystics' push, spinning into the lane for a go-ahead basket - their first lead since the opening quarter. Smith then made her presence felt at both ends, scoring on a right-handed drive before picking off a Mounties pass, sparking a sequence that ended with Sarah Gruchy (St. John's, NL) finishing through contact. The Mystics' momentum swelled further when Bryce came off the bench and buried a transition three to extend the lead to 48–41. Moments later, another Gruchy steal set up Newberry for a layup, pushing the advantage into double digits. The Mounties clawed back late in the frame as Miller and Alexander converted in transition to trim the deficit to four. With both teams trading baskets down the stretch, the Mystics held their edge and carried a 55–51 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Mystics opened the fourth quarter with Smith continuing her strong night, attacking off a screen and setting the tone early. Moments later, she found Jenna Matheson in transition for a layup, pushing the Mystics' lead to 11 and prompting a Mounties timeout. Smith kept the pressure on out of the timeout break, driving hard to the rim and finishing through contact. The Mounties responded with resilience as Alexander drained a turnaround fadeaway in the lane, forcing the Mystics to take a timeout of their own. The Mounties built on that momentum with back-to-back layups from Miller and Alexander, and Roberts connected from long range to trim the Mystics' lead to five. In a tight battle for control down the stretch, Strickland delivered a clutch step-back three to steady the Mystics, though Tilley answered with a tough drive to the rim to keep the Mounties within reach. As the shot clock wound down on a late possession, Empringham hit a poised turnaround floater to restore a ten-point cushion with just over a minute to play. The Mystics closed out the final moments with composure, securing a hard-fought 77–65 victory.

The Mystics return to the court next Saturday, November 29th as they travel to Moncton to play the Crandall Chargers. Tip off is at 3:00pm. The Mounties will return to the court in the new year, when they host the Mystics in a rematch of today's matchup on Saturday, January 10th. Tip off is at 5:00pm.