Gaiters suffer 72-64 OT loss to Laval

WOMEN: #5 LAVAL 72, #7 GAITERS 64 - Game Stats
Bethan Chalke's free throw with 17 seconds left forced overtime, but the No. 7-ranked Bishop's Gaiters eventually fell 72-64 to the No. 5 Laval Rouge et Or. With the Gaiters trailing 61-60, Chalke make one of two free throws to tie the game at 61, the climax of a game that featured 14 ties and six lead changes.

In the extra period, layups by Marie-Pascale Nadeau, Chanelle St-Amour, and Marie-Michele Genois put Laval up 69-64 with 1:05 left, and the Gaiters were unable to draw closer. Marjorie Ferland settled matters with three game-clinching free throws.

The Gaiters played on the back foot for most of the game, as Laval started on a 9-0 run in the game's opening two minutes. A 10-5 run pulled Bishop's back to within 16-15 after ten minutes. Chalke gave Bishop's their first lead of the game at 17-15 on the first possession of the second quarter. She ended the quarter the same way, scored on the Gaiters' last possession to put Bishop's up 27-26.

Laval started the second half as they did the first, with a quick 9-0 run in the opening 2:10, but the Gaiters clawed back again to lead 43-42 after the third quarter. In the fourth, after Laval took a 51-45 lead, Jessy Roy combined with Chalke on a 7-0 run to put the Gaiters back in front 52-51. Annick Stephanny Charles gave the Gaiters their biggest lead of the night at 54-51 with 3:37 to go. Genois hit a free throw with exactly 2:00 left to tie the game at 57-57 to set up a finish where the lead changed hands four times. After Chalke tied the game at 61-61, each team had a chance to score but neither was able to convert.

Roy led the Gaiters with 14 points and seven rebounds. Mélanie Ouellet-Godcharles added 13 points on 5-for-10 shooting, while Chalke finished with 12 points and Charles added 11.

Nadeau led all scorers with 18 points, as four Rouge et Or players hit double figures. St-Amour scored 15 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, while Elyse Jobin added 14 points, and Ferland chipped in ten.

The Gaiters shot 39.0% from the field, while Laval was 45.1%. The Rouge et Or went 21-for-25 from the free-throw line, including 5-for-6 in overtime, while Bishop's was 13-for-22. Laval outrebounded Bishop's 36-32, and committed 26 turnovers to the Gaiters' 23.

The Gaiters (5-4, 1-2 QUBL) return to action on Friday night as they host the Concordia Stingers (2-2 QUBL). Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. at the Mitchell Gym.