By Kayla Sarabun - @kayla9614 on Twitter - Lethbridge College Digital Communications and Media student

Kodiak women heading to CCAA gold medal game

Mar 17, 2017 | 9:29 PM

EDMONTON – It was a nail biter, but the Lethbridge College Kodiaks will be in the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association’s (CCAA) Championship final Saturday (Mar. 18) night. 

The Kodiaks edged Nomades de Montmorency 74-70 Friday (Mar. 17) night in the semi-final match up. 

Going into the game, assistant coach John Lowry was nervous.

“Our girls as long as they play their game will be okay… I think that if we run our systems then it’ll all be okay.”

The Kodiaks came off of jump ball with fire in their eyes and basketball in their hearts. 

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Doubling Montmorency in the first quarter, the Kodiaks were up 27-13. Logan Moncks, Emma Lowry and Sunder West accounted for 25 of those points. 

The game didn’t end there. Montmorency came out fighting, matching the Kodiaks points wise in the second quarter.

Montmorency was still down at the beginning of the half, trailing the Kodiaks 43-29. But the Quebec team wasn’t ready to go down without a fight, Shantaya Strebel of the Kodiaks knew that. 

“It was (the game) really physical from the start, I mean any team is going to be really physical going into a semi-final game,” said Strebel. 

Both teams were determined to claim their spot in the final.

Having a rough third quarter, the Kodiaks made room for Montmorency to catch up… and they did just that. 

The scoreboard read 56-54 starting off the fourth. The Kodiaks knew they had to stay tight to their defence and follow through on shots if they wanted to make it the gold medal round.

Point for point, the Kodiaks fought aggressively to win.

Bringing up the team morale, West sunk a three pointer with four and a half minutes to go in the game. 

Montmorency still fighting hard, stayed aggressive under the net — maybe a little too aggressive — as many fouls were made in the last two minutes of the game. 

Those fouls put the Kodiaks over the top, as Lowry was able to make two of her free throws, giving the Kodiaks a four-point lead over Montmorency.

With seconds left in the game, the Kodiaks kept up their defence, knowing they couldn’t let it slide if they wanted the win.

As the final buzzer went the Kodiaks bench jumped from their seats to congratulate each other.

“It’s a dream come true, but the feelings haven’t really set in yet,” said Strebel, still ecstatic from tonights win. 

The Kodiaks will be play in the gold medal game Saturday (Mar. 18) night in the NAIT gymnasium at 8 pm.