Returning to the court after a disappointing 2023/24 regular season that ended with a 2-18 record, the women’s WolfPack basketball team looked for a fresh start on Thursday, but ultimately came up short, losing their home opener to the UBCO Heat, 71-47.
Although the ‘Pack seemed to match the Heats’ energy and intensity during the first quarter, it was the visiting team that quickly landed the first basket with a layup from Kelsey Falk and an assist from Lily Pink three minutes into the game. Despite the rough start, the team rallied back. In the fourth minute, Danijela Kovacevic scored the home team’s first point, leading to a brief fury of offence that saw ‘Pack rookie Morgan Eichenberger sink a layup, pushing the score to 7-5.
Unfortunately for the WolfPack, the Heat proved to be too hot to handle, closing the first period with a 19-10 lead, fuelled by UBCO forward, Lily Pink.
Throughout the second and third periods of the game, the Pack continued to get burned by the visiting team, which, by the beginning of the final quarter, had amassed a 26-point lead.
During the fourth and final quarter of the game, the ‘Pack attempted to mount a spirited rebuke, earning 13 points to the Heats’ 11 in what some called their best playing of the night. Ultimately, no amount of tricks the ‘Pack pulled from their playbooks was strong enough to overcome the point lead the Heat had accumulated throughout the previous three periods, culminating in a 71-47 loss for the ‘Pack.
