LETHBRIDGE, AB -
Lia St. Pierre exploded for a season-high 25 points in leading the UBC Thunderbirds to a 75-66 victory over Lethbridge Pronghorns Friday night at the 1st Choice Savings Centre.
The no. 9 ranked Thunderbirds (10-3) methodically built their lead from the tip-off and led by as many as 20 mid-way through the third quarter before the Pronghorns (7-7) closed the gap to eight on a 16-4 run to close of the frame. Tenacious defending and two three-pointers by St. Pierre down the stretch ensured victory for the visitors.
St. Pierre was lights out all night for the 'Birds shooting 10-14 on the night including 3-4 from behind the arc.
The first quarter was tightly contested with the teams trading the lead six times. With the Pronghorns leading by one, St. Pierre scored the final five points of the quarter to put her team up 25-21, a lead they would not relinquish.
The second frame saw the 'Birds increase their lead to 11 due, in part, to Ariane Duchesne's six points off the bench. Leading 44-33, the T-Birds opened the second half on a 12-3 run fueled by
Zara Huntley's aggressive rebounding as she grabbed four of her game-high 10 boards. The hosts would not be dismissed so easily clawing their way back into the game before St. Pierre's sharp-shooting put the game out of the reach in the fourth.
The Thunderbirds travel to Calgary to face the Calgary Dinos on Saturday while Lethbridge welcomes another Pacific Division opponent, the Victoria Vikes, to the 1st Choice Savings Centre tomorrow night.
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