Box Score Box Score

The University of Regina's women's basketball team took a 66-55 win over Victoria on Friday night in the first game of a best-of-three Canada West quarterfinal series at the Centre for Kinesiology, Health & Sport.

Victoria led 33-31 at halftime, but the Cougars took the lead after a Gabrielle Gheyssen three-pointer early in the third quarter and never trailed after that. Regina reeled off nine consecutive points to start the second half and led by double digits for most of the game's final 20 minutes.

The Vikes got to within seven points after a Debbie Yeboah layup with 5:38 left in the fourth quarter, but that would be Victoria's last field goal of the game.

“I was happy with how we played in the third quarter, but we struggled with turnovers yet again,” Cougars head coach Dave Taylor said. “I was also pleased with our half court defence. At this time of year, and win is good – pretty or not pretty.”

Four Cougars scored in double figures, led by Danielle Schmidt's 15 points. Joanna Zalesiak had 14 points, while Megan Chamberlin and Lindsay Ledingham both scored 12. Chamberlin added 11 rebounds to register a double-double for Regina, while Schmidt also added a game-high seven steals.

Yeboah led Victoria with 13 points, but was just 5-for-20 from the field. Sarah Semeniuk had 12 points and nine rebounds for the Vikes, while Vanessa Forstbauer had 10 points and 10 rebounds to record her team's lone double-double.

The two teams will meet in Game 2 of the quarterfinal series on Saturday night at the CKHS. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.

NOTES: If needed, Game 3 of the series will go on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. … the Cougars were an impressive 13-for-14 (.929) from the free throw line as a team but were saddled with 31 turnovers during the contest.