CALGARY – The University of Lethbridge women's basketball team used a 15-0 run in the fourth quarter to flip the script en route to a 76-67 win over Trinity Western in the Canada West quarter-final showdown from the Jack Simpson Gym.
 
The Pronghorns used stout defence down the stretch and finished the game on a 23-5 run over the final 5:47 of the game to advance to the CW Final Four, where they will take on top-seeded Saskatchewan on March 18.
 
"I'm really proud of our defensive effort," Lethbridge head coach Dave Waknuk said. "We talked all year about how our defence creates energy, and I think we did a great job of that today – especially down the stretch. To play someone as skilled as Fransson and hold her fairly in check is not easy for our team. I'm really proud of the way we played defence down the stretch."
 
Haily Weaver led the way for the Pronghorns in the win, turning in a double-double of 22 points and 10 rebounds. The Edmonton product was clutch down the stretch, netting nine of her points during the decisive Lethbridge run.
 
Jessica Haenni added 14 points for the Pronghorns, while Savannah McMahon also scored in double figures with 13.
 
Kianna Wiens led the way for the Spartans with 17 points, five rebounds and five assists. Hailey Van Roekel stuffed the stat sheet with 16 points, six boards, three assists and four steals, while Nicole Fransson – one day after breaking the TWU single-game scoring record with 38 points – was held relatively in check with 12 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
 
A back-and-forth contest most of the way, TWU was able to create some separation early in the fourth. Three layups from Van Roekel sandwiching a pair of free throws from Wiens and the Spartans held a 62-53 lead with 6:37 to play.
 
From there, it was all Pronghorns.
 
Danielle Nadeau started the run with an and-one before four Weaver connected on back-to-back buckets. After a Pronghorn free throw, Weaver hit another jumper with 3:30 to play to give Lethbridge the lead at 63-62, and they would never look back. Haenni hit a transition three just over a minute later to make it 68-62 and that all but sealed it.
 
The Spartans made one final push, closing to within four at 71-67 with less than a minute to play, but the Horns closed this one out at the charity stripe to clinch the win.