WATERLOO— Greatness is felt, but it's never rushed.
It took an entire quarter for the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) women's basketball team to exert its will, but the defending champions convincingly dispatched the Laurier Golden Hawks 75-30 on Friday.
The result marked TMU's fourth straight win on opening night. It was also the Bold's fourth consecutive win against the Golden Hawks.
Both teams struggled to navigate a combination of first-game excitement and rust. The score remained deadlocked at 0-0 until Laurier scored its first two points at the charity stripe at the 6:36 mark.
To further complicate matters, Bold forward
Hailey Franco DeRyck was whistled for two early fouls halfway through the opening quarter. The moment highlighted an early pivotal decision for Interim Head Coach
Stefanija Mrvaljevic. Sensing the moment, Mrvaljevic kept the reigning Defensive Player of the Year on the court, and as champions do, the team rewarded their bench boss.
Trailing 8-4,
Myriam Kone reminded those in attendance why she's a terror in transition. Kone's first points on the fast break rejuvenated the Bold.
With the game even at 11-11 in the second frame,
Catrina Garvey knocked down the Bold's first three-pointer of the season. The bucket sparked a 14-0 run. Despite Franco DeRyck picking up her third foul and the Golden Hawks eventually snapping their cold streak on offence, the Bold finally looked comfortable on the court. Before halftime, Kone hit a mid-range jump shot at the buzzer to extend TMU's lead to 29-16.
Early in the second half, Kone raced down the court in transition like a runaway freight train and in a pure display of strength, muscled her way to the hoop and the harm. While TMU's offence blossomed as the game went on, its trademark defence was as reliable as ever. The defending champions suffocated the Golden Hawks, particularly with their signature full-court and three-quarter press.
First-year and Sport Media student
Lily Blondon's steal and score while applying pressure later inspired her teammates to get in on the act. Garvey forced a jump-ball before Laurier could get past the half-court line. With the pressure ramping up, Kone was again shot out of a cannon in transition and recorded another and-1 bucket, this time while showcasing her elite body control.
Ultimately, TMU won the third quarter by a score of 22-9 and never looked back.
By the time the final buzzer sounded, the Bold had put the finishing touches on a comfortable team win.
Magdalena Vukojev came off the bench late and despite only playing seven minutes, finished with eight points while shooting a perfect 2-for-2 from deep. A total of 11 TMU players scored by the end of the contest.
The Bold's next game is against the Brock Badgers on Oct. 30. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. EST. Watch the action unfold on OUA.tv as TMU strives to defend its title.
