WBB: Hot-shooting Vikes take down Timberwolves in Victoria

Women's Basketball
December 4, 2021

The Victoria Vikes couldn’t miss, shooting the ball with tremendous efficiency and topping the UNBC Timberwolves 83-68 on Saturday, December 4th, 2021 in Victoria, B.C.

In the first quarter, the Vikes came out the hotter shooting team, going up 8-1 in the opening four minutes. The TWolves did settle down, thanks to an Alima Shakirova three-point-play and a Laure Garmendia Garcia jumper, as the visitors aimed to cut into the deficit. The Vikes length proved to be a problem for the Timberwolves, as Victoria used an inside-outside game to create open looks, but UNBC continued to battle on the glass despite the size disparity. At the end of the first quarter, UNBC had come all the way back and led 20-19.

Whatever Carrie Watts told her troops after the quarter seemed to light a fire in the Vikes. Led by Tana Pankratz and Ashlyn Day, UVic came out firing, making a trio of consecutive three-pointers to regain and stretch their lead to 36-25. Aleah Ashlee got in on the fun, making a pair of tough buckets inside, as Victoria built on their lead on the backs of incredibly hot shooting from the field. Victoria went 4-for-6 from long range in the frame, while the TWolves went just 4-for-18 from the field, and the Vikes led 43-30 at half.

Sveta Boykova was the leading scorer for UNBC with nine points, to go along with three rebounds, while Rebecca Landry added eight points. Pankratz and Day were the story offensively for the Vikes, scoring 13 and 11 points, respectively.

In the third quarter, Victoria continued to hit big shots, as Day buried a pair open looks and Calli McMillan got to her spot for a tough finish. Anastasia Soltes provided some pushback for UNBC, using her speed on back-to-back fast break layups, but UVic’s length continued to trouble the TWolves. Boykova helped the Timberwolves mount a run, making consecutive treys late in the frame, followed by a three-pointer by freshman guard Sarah Kuklisin in the final minute. An 11-1 run made it a 63-51 game heading into the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter sealed the deal for the Vikes, as they continued to pour it in from beyond the arc, while the TWolves struggled to convert on their open looks. Day showed why she’s one of the premier scorers in the conference, while Mimi Segue made an impact in the paint. The TWolves showed character late, led by Alina Shakirova, but they’d run out of time, falling 83-68.

The Vikes earned the win by shooting 49.2 percent from the field and making 12 three-pointers, while the Timberwolves made just 31.1 percent of their field goal attempts.

Shakirova finished with 18 points and six rebounds, while Boykova had a 15 point, 10 rebound double-double.  Landry and Soltes each finished with 11 points on the day.

Day went five-for-eight from long range to pace the Vikes with 17 points and six assists. Aleah Ashlee had 18 points, while Sigue had 11 points and 10 boards.