The Kwantlen Eagles women’s basketball team earned a split on a season-opening two-game trip to Vancouver Island last weekend.
The Eagles posted a 74-69 win over the Camosun Chargers Friday night in Victoria, before falling 75-47 to the Vancouver Island University Mariners Sunday in Nanaimo.
Kwantlen came back from a 53-48 halftime deficit for their victory, the first of the 2011-12 Pacific Western Athletic Association (PacWest) season.
Anna Work, a third-year transfer from Everett, Washington, led the team in her first game as an Eagle with 16 points and seven steals. Also making an impact were two first-year players from Holy Cross High School, Jeannine Yngresso and Jessica Villadiego, as well as Cassie Micona of Mission.
“Jessica played amazing defense on Camosun’s best scorer,” said Eagles assistant coach Emily Wright. “Cassie came off the bench and hit back to back threes to put us ahead, and Anna and Jeannine came through with huge steals at the end of the game.”
The Eagles men’s team also made the trip to Vancouver Island, and came up short in a close game Friday before falling 81-51 to the Mariners on Saturday.
Kwantlen took a 43-41 lead into the second half against the Chargers, but were outscored by 15 points in the third quarter. They exploded for 32 fourth quarter points, but came up short 97-92.
A.J. Adusei of North Delta was the top scorer for the Eagles on the weekend, scoring 72 points in the two games.
“We have to find production, points-wise, from the other players,” said head coach Stefon Wilson. “In Saturday’s game, I was proud of our defense, only giving up 81 points. But there are two sides to the game of basketball, and it’s important that we get back into the gym and get extra shots up outside of our regular practice time this week.”
The two Eagles teams will play away from home again next weekend, visiting the Capilano Blues in North Vancouver on Friday, and the Quest University Kermodes Saturday in Squamish.