Box Score LETHBRIDGE - Facing a team with a similar record in the (3-11) Manitoba Bisons, and glad to have starting guard Natalie Nichols back in the lineup, the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns women’s basketball team was anxious for a victory to snap their ten game losing steak and bolster their winning percentage as the regular season winds down.  Relying on a 24 point third quarter, the ‘Horns rolled to a 83-74 win Friday night at the 1^st Choice Savings Centre.
 
Five ‘Horns landed in double figures on the night, led by fifth-year guard Lauren Taal with 17 points.  Her performance was supported by Ali Cameron’s 13, Deanna Dotts’s 12, Stephanie Inman’s 11, and Katlyn Olsen’s 10.  Forward Kim Veldman, led all rebounders with eight and Cameron also nabbed four steals. 
 
The Bisons also fronted a balanced attack with senior forward Mubo Ilelaboye leading the Manitoba team with 16 points and Robyn Eyer and Allison Balasko chipped in 14 and 13 respectively.  Czech-product, Andrea Filipkova, pulled down a team-high six boards.
 
The ‘Horns wrote much the same story for themselves as seen in recent losses with the first half of play ending in a virtual tie, with the ‘Horns at a slight 37-35 advantage.  Particularly considering the ‘Horns’ history, the climax of the story was yet to be written, however.  In a new twist for the Pronghorns, the climax came in the third quarter instead of a downfall in the fourth.  The ‘Horns turned on their press in the third and took advantage of their speed and quickness to force Bison turnovers and convert them into a 12 point lead that the Bisons cut to nine on a Brittany Koop three with thirty seconds left in the stanza. 
 
Though the ‘Horns ran their way to a more comfortable cushion going into the fourth than they are usually treated to, the Bisons came hard out of the huddle, going on a 6-0 run that closed the gap to 61-58 before Jami Wiebe knocked down a pair of free throws.  Though the two teams traded baskets, the ‘Horns pushed their lead back to seven with six minutes to play, but found themselves with only a three point advantage with five left on the clock.   The ‘Horns maintained their composure, however, weathering several possible Bison runs, partly due to two timely treys by Stephanie Inman that combated the pair drained by Bison guard, Eyer.    Another factor that proved invaluable to the ‘Horns’s success was the quality of their free throw shooting as they ended the game 30-35 and 86 percent, while the Bisons were 71 percent on 10-14. 
 
“I think the key for us tonight was that we worked together as a team,” said Taal.  “Ali started everything on defense for us and just went from there.  We were all on the same page and we have fun when we play together and start everything on defense.”
 
The ‘Horns will try to stay on the page tomorrow night as they meet up with the Bisons once again in the 1^st Choice Savings Centre. With the win, the ‘Horns match their record to the Bisons at 3-12 and will try to break the deadlock at 6 pm with the men’s game to follow.  As always, the games will be webcast on canadawest.tv.