By Eli Silverstone

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s basketball team defeated the Laurentian University Voyageurs 91-61 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) on Friday night. 

The continuous theme throughout this season for the Bold has been third-year guard Catrina Garvey and fourth-year guards Myriam Kone and Kait Nichols causing havoc for opposing defences. With the score being 43-36 for the Bold at half and their undefeated 8-0 season up in the air, they turned it up a notch. Led by those three, the Bold went on a 20-3 run and put the game out of reach.

“I think our guard play is as good as anybody in the country,” said head coach Carly Clarke.

Kone took the offensive lead for the Bold, a role she has excelled in this year, ranking fifth in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) in points per game (19.4). A quick layup, three, and even inbounding the ball off the defenders’ back from the baseline before grabbing it right back and laying it in, had the Bold off to a 14-6 start. She would end up finishing the game with 19 points on an array of transition buckets and tough shots. 

On the defensive side, the Bold applied a lot of pressure to fifth-year Laurentian forward Emilie Lafond who’s been averaging 14 points and 7 rebounds per game for the Voyageurs. Strong Bold defence—highlighted by third-year forward Hailey Franco DeRyck and sending double teams—was able to throw Lafond off her game, holding her to 3/11 shooting and only 9 points.

“She’s a very difficult match-up so we are trying to bring two [players] to her…and make other players make some plays,” said Clarke.

Because of the pressure on Lafond, the Bold forced the Voyageurs to shoot more three-pointers than they wanted to for a team that only shoots 25 per cent from three. Despite this, they shot well, going nine of 22 (40.9 per cent). It was turning the ball over 22 times and getting outrebounded 30 to 45 where the game was lost. 

“We love to make others uncomfortable and apply pressure,” said Franco DeRyck. “That’s where we get our energy from, cheering each other on for our great defensive principles.”

Once the second half started, the Bold’s defensive effort and scoring prowess from Nichols, who had 16 points and eight rebounds, and Garvey, who had a game high of 23 points, were too much. An 11-0 run was only hindered by Laurentian hitting a three to stop the bleeding. What followed was a 9-0 run and a 63-39 lead that the Voyageurs would be unable to recover from. 

TMU is one of only six teams in all of Canada that are still undefeated at this point, and everything seems to be clicking for them as they head into the winter break. After losing in the OUA semi-finals last season, it’s clear that the roster and coaching staff are all on the same page this year. 

“We endlessly care for each other so we are always trying to do our best for each other and support in any way we know how,” said Garvey. 

UP NEXT: The Bold take on the Nipissing University Lakers on Saturday as they look to continue their win streak to end off 2025. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at the MAC.