The Golden Hawks’ women’s basketball team returned home this past weekend and picked up two impressive victories to improve their winning streak to four games.
Following a season-long five-game road trip- that began with three consecutive losses- before ending on a high note with two wins, the team was happy to be home.
“It was a tiring trip, we had a whole lot of traveling, and look forward to being home for the next couple of games,” coach Paul Falco stated before the games this weekend.
The weekend saw strong performances from Brianna Iannazzo and Jill Condron as well as first year forward Kate Moran.
With those three women leading the charge, the Golden Hawks were able to beat both the Nipissing Lakers and the Laurentian Voyageurs to bring their record to 5-3 on the season.
The first matchup of the weekend required two overtime quarters for the Golden Hawks to beat the Nipissing Lakers, in what was a tightly contested game- something that is becoming a trend for the Laurier team this season.
The two teams exchanged baskets in the first and second quarters, before Laurier was able to break through in the third, to gain a nine-point lead heading into the 4th quarter.
After a clutch three point shot by Natalie Martinez to tie the game up for the Lakers, the two teams headed into overtime, with the score tied at 59.
As Nipissing was attempting a layup to take the lead, first year business major Kate Moran had a huge block which ensued with a chance for Laurier to win the game at the free throw line.
Laurier’s star guard and top offensive force Brianna Iannazzo had the ball in her hand with a chance to win it and she would do just that, as she hit on both of her free throws to give the Hawks a 75-73 win.
The following night against Laurentian was not much different as the Golden Hawks battled strong in a close game, with Moran and Iannazzo making several clutch shots from the three-point line.
Aiding Laurier to a 65-57 win, which is their largest margin of victory this year.
Iannazzo continued her impressive season by scoring a career-high 26 points on Saturday against the Voyageurs, while notching 18 in the win against the Lakers.
The fourth-year guard leads the entire OUA in scoring, as she is averaging 17.9 points per game.
The other key force for the Hawks, was Kate Moran, a Waterloo, Ontario native who is in her first year with the team after coming off of a brutal knee injury that sidelined her last year.
Moran is continuing to get more minutes with the team and started her first game on Saturday.
“She is working her way into the lineup and made some great plays today, I think she is starting to become more comfortable,” Coach Falco said of his rookie forward after the game on Saturday.
Moran had a stellar weekend, as she recorded her first career double-double on Friday and went on to have 5 blocks and 7 rebounds to go along with 11 points in the win on Saturday.
Moran has been an integral part of a Laurier team that is playing relentlessly on the defensive side. A big reason for why they have won four in a row- their longest winning streak in over three years.
The Golden Hawks are looking to keep their winning streak going and will look to defend their perfect record at the Athletic Complex with two more games there this week.
Laurier will face Guelph tonight, before welcoming the red hot Western Mustangs to town on Saturday.
