TORONTO – The Rams women's basketball team earned a gritty 68-65 victory over a tough Queen's Gaels squad in the team's 2021-22 home opener on Friday night.
 
In a back and forth affair which saw spurts of offensive pressure followed by lulls in execution by both sides, the Rams made a final comeback to secure the victory.

Trailing by seven points with 6:15 remaining, the Rams managed to execute down the stretch to erase the deficit. Mikaela Dodig hit a three pointer with 1:50 remaining to tie the game at 65-65 before nailing another triple as the game-winning shot. Dodig then showcased her defensive prowess, providing solid coverage on Queen's final possession, denying the Gaels a shot opportunity to seal the win.

"I knew I was open and shot the three…I wasn't thinking much but sometimes that's a good thing. In the flow of the game, it felt effortless," said Dodig after the game about her game-winner.
 
"That on-ball defence for the last 17 seconds of the game, that was incredible," said head coach Carly Clarke about Dodig's final stand. "She made shots but she's such an anchor for us everywhere on the floor so I'm really happy for her and to turn a good game into a win."
 
The game started at a frenetic pace with 46 points scored in the opening 10 minutes which only took about 16 minutes to play. The Rams held a narrow 24-22 edge after the opening quarter.
 
The second became a more physical quarter resulting in not a lot of open looks for either team. The frame saw just 15 total points, leading to a 31-30 Rams edge at halftime.

In the third the teams traded runs, starting with an 8-0 run by the Rams to take a 41-35 advantage. But the Gaels regrouped in a timeout and came back to score five straight, and scored enough to erase the deficit and head into the final frame tied at 49-49.

Queen's built a seven point lead at 59-52 in the fourth by relying on their size in the post, but the Rams were able to trust their game plan and came away with the late win.

Dodig finished with a game-high 25 points while Rachel Farwell chipped in 16 points, five rebounds, and two blocks.
 
On her team's first regular season game back post-pandemic break, coach Clarke was thrilled to be back in action.
 
"It felt great, it's great to be back. It's been a long time but in some ways it also feels like we never left," said Clarke.
 
The Rams continue their season next Friday, November 12 when they travel to North Bay for a two-game set against the Nipissing Lakers.