The Queens drop a close one in Camrose against the Vikings

Camrose, November 4 - It was a battle of a North Division and South Division team in Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference action on Friday night in Camrose. The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens who came into this match with a 2-2 record to face off with the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings, who sit second in the North.

In their first interdivisional matchup, the Queens took an early 13-4 lead against the second-place Vikings. But the team from Camrose battled back to within five points of Red Deer. It was the Queens who would take the early lead going into the second quarter with a score of 21-13 over the Vikings. Queens Forward Sophie Melin (Bachelor of Arts Psychology) led her team with seven points. The Queens also out-rebounded Augustana nine to five.

After a quick start by the home team, Head Coach Avery Harrison of the Queens called a timeout, hoping to spark some offense and defense from Red Deer to get them back into the game. With this spark from the Vikings, it led them to battle back to within one of the Queens. But with this quick offence from Red Deer and a strong defence that Harrison likes to play put them up 36-31 at halftime. Mrazik and Melin to lead their respective teams in points, each scoring 11.

The Queens offence came out even stronger into the second half, scoring 19 points before the Vikings were forced to call a timeout to change up their game plan. Before the end of the third, the Queens walked away with a small 56-51 lead after a late surge from the Vikings.

The Vikings found their groove in the fourth holding the visiting team to four points in the first five minutes of the last quarter. Later on in the quarter, both teams were exchanging three-pointers from one another. It came down right to the final minute of the game where the Vikings pulled ahead by three before Harrison called a timeout to go over a game plan for the Queens. The home team would finally solve the Queens and would take their first quarter lead of the game which led to a 71-68 victory for the Vikings

The players of the game went to Sandra Garcia-Bernal (Educational Assistant) from the Queens and Jenessa Doctor from the Vikings. Garcia-Bernal finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds and Doctor completed her night with 17 points and four rebounds.

The Queens will play on Remembrance Day in Edmonton against The Kings University Eagles at 6 pm.