VICTORIA – The University of Victoria Vikes women's basketball team started their playoff push in good fashion, ousting the Mount Royal Cougars 79-55 on Jan. 24 at McKinnon Gym. The Vikes improve 10-5, while the Cougars continue to anchor the Pacific Division at 1-14.
 
BOX SCORE
 
Cassandra Goodis opened the Vikes scoring with a three-pointer from the baseline and the home team never looked back to earn as much as 30-point lead throughout the game. Jenny Lewis, Sarah Semeniuk, Jenna Bugiardini and Jessica Renfrew all scored in double digits, with Renfrew leading the way with 18 points. The Vikes also had 26 points from their bench and 26 from Mount Royal turnovers.
 
First-year Cougars head coach Len Harvey's squad put on a classy effort, staying with the Vikes who paced them throughout all four quarters. The undisputable leader on the night was second-year forward Jordan McLean who gave the Vikes' defence fits to finish the night with 14 points, 10 of which came in the opening quarter.  Alicia Tan and Candice Duckett each contributed nine for the team.
 
It was the tale of two players in the opening frame as six-foot-three Vike Semeniuk towered in the paint for seven points, while Mount Royal's McLean earned 10 of their 11 first-quarter points. The Vikes impressed from the perimeter as starters Goodis, Renfrew and Shaylyn Crisp each drained a three to help the home team double the Cougars 22-11 at the first break.
 
The Vikes logged a first-half shooting percentage of 47 as several Vikes edged on double-digit scoring by the half-time break.  Goodis showed her comfort from distance as she sank another bucket from the top of the arc, while Bugiardini came to life to chip in for seven second-quarter points. The Cougars continued to show a high level of compete but the Vikes dominated by as much as 22 in the second frame to grab a comfortable 45-26 lead at half.
 
Mount Royals Alicia Tan was a third-quarter spark for the visitors as the rookie and five-foot guard put up nine points, as the Cougars were out scored only 17-15.  Much of the same scoring frenzy continued throughout the final two quarters as Renfrew earned 10 points in the final quarter to push the Vikes up by 30 with less than three minutes to go. The Vikes out-rebounded Mount Royal 40-22 to take the game 79-55 in the first of the double-header series.
 
The Cougars and Vikes will clash again tomorrow night, Jan. 25, at McKinnon Gym at 5 p.m. The game will be broadcast live at canadawest.tv.
 
SCORING SUMMARY
MRU: 11-15-15-14 : 55
UVIC: 22-23-17-17 : 79
 
SCORING LEADERS
MRU: Jordan McLean (14),  Candice Duckett (9), Alicia Tan (9)
UVIC: Jessica Renfrew (18), Jenny Lewis (14), Jenna Bugiardini (11), Sarah Semeniuk (11)