By Francesco Cautillo

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s basketball team kicked off the new year in victorious fashion after picking up a 75-55 win against the Wilfrid Laurier University Golden Hawks on Wednesday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

The Bold are currently sitting third in the U Sports national rankings, with tonight’s victory signifying an 11-game win streak.

“I don’t think we’re focused on the win streak at all. I think we’re focused on the game in front of us every single time and the goal today was to execute and win,” said head coach Carly Clarke.

The match kicked off with an alternating exchange of points and possession, as both teams looked to shake off any rust picked up over the winter break.

After getting back into their usual rhythm, TMU forced three straight turnovers. However, Laurier profited off some early foul trouble for the Bold, leading to more offensive chances and fast breaks.

This kept the Golden Hawks within reach of the home team, ending the first quarter 16 to 13.

Fourth-year guard Myriam Kone seemed to be her usual self, quickly picking up double digit points and rolling on her momentum from last year. While the Golden Hawks attempted to double team Kone and other Bold opponents, third-year guard Catrina Garvey was open and waiting beyond the arc, where her distance shooting stayed a threat.

“[Kone] draws so much attention and is such an incredible scorer and leader on our team,” said Garvey on her friendship with Kone, adding, “We’re constantly in communication to know where each other are and how to play off each other.”

With under five left in the first half, the game turned physical, leading to heated battles in the paint. Third-year forward Hailey Franco DeRyck was at the centre of it all, attacking rebounds on offense and defense, as well as hopping on any opportunity at a jumpball.

“I’m not on for forty minutes of the game and I’ve rested and trained all week for this game, so I might as well give it everything I have,” said Franco DeRyck on her relentless mindset on the court.

TMU led by eight after two quarters of play, with the scoreboard at 36-28 in their favour.

Clarke’s half-time strategy proved effective, as the Bold scored nine straight, extending their lead to 17 and forcing Laurier head coach Megan Reid to call timeout.

Kone’s efficiency extended beyond her layup agility, as she drained a contested three pointer to mark her tally at 24points to end the third quarter.

The final frame replicated a practice for TMU. Players demonstrated their full court hustle with confident shooting, leaving the Golden Hawks clawing for any scraps they could find. Franco DeRyck flexed her strength and passion as she ran for what seemed like her entire time on the court tonight.

The dynamic duo of Garvey and Kone ended the match with over 20 points each, combining for over half of the Bold’s total points.

Clarke praised her top two shooters today, stating “They’re both great players and other players benefit off them too by moving and getting open.”

Despite a new year, the Bold kept their vintage form, closing out their 11th straight win in impressive style.

UP NEXT: The Bold will face-off against the York University Lions at the Tait McKenzie Centre on Jan. 10. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m.