By Rob Vona
The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s basketball team remained undefeated this season, with a 71-65 win over the McMaster Marauders on Wednesday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).
With the win, the Bold improved to 3-0 and now sits in first place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Central Division. A strong performance from first-year players Corrynn Parker and Hailey Franco-DeRyck helped lift the team to the win.
“I think at the start it was a little slow but we picked up as the game went on,” said Franco-DeRyck.
A pair of three-pointers from Parker early on in the game kickstarted the Bold. She would finish the quarter with nine points, shooting 67 per cent from three.
“I wasn’t really creating my own shots, my teammates were finding me,” said Parker, who credited second-year guard Jayme Foreman and fourth-year guard Kaillie Hall for finding her in the corner.
Marauders fifth-year guard Jenna Button responded with a three of her own in an attempt to keep the game close.
While the two battled it out in the first 10 minutes of the game, it was the Bold who owned a 19-17 lead heading into the second frame.
Four quick rebounds from Franco-DeRyck saw her rack up four points and eight rebounds just 12 minutes into the game.
“She’s so long so she disrupts a lot of plays, she’s a great rebounder as well,” said Parker on Franco-DeRyck. “It’s been really good working with her on pick-and-rolls.”
An offensive surge from both teams saw the game knotted up at 26 points with over five minutes to go in the first half. A bank shot and a corner three from Parker sparked the Bold, who ended the quarter on a 20-12 run to put themselves up by eight points, leading 46-38.
Both sides traded punches to start the second half until a flurry of turnovers from each team saw the game at a standstill. Parker sank her fifth three-pointer of the game to close out the third frame and put the Bold up by double digits—63-51—heading into the fourth quarter.
“[In] the fourth quarter we kind of settled, we were too comfortable and we needed to play through fatigue,” said Franco-DeRyck. “Overall I think we’re growing and getting better every game.”
Hall set the tone in the fourth quarter by converting a tough and-one layup before the visiting Marauders cut the lead to eight. They trailed 66-58 with under five minutes to go.
“Although we came out with the win, there [are] still lots of things that we can work on”
Franco-DeRyck converted a layup in the dying minutes to give her 10 points on the night and secured her first double-double in her fresh OUA career, finishing with a game-high 15 rebounds.
McMaster strung together some baskets as the clock ticked away but Parker’s game-high 22 points were too much to handle as the Bold walked away with the 71-65 win.
“We’re still learning how to play together and read each other’s strengths,” said Franco-DeRyck. “Although we came out with the win, there [are] still lots of things that we can work on.”
UP NEXT: The Bold are back on home soil on Saturday afternoon as they host the Brock Badgers. Tip-off is set for 1:00 p.m.
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