KAMLOOPS – A thrilling come-from-behind victory was the highlight of the weekend for a Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's basketball team that wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a tournament at home.
 
Finishing the weekend with a record of 1-2, the WolfPack picked up a win of 80-79 over the Mount Royal Cougars while also recording losses of 85-61 to the Alberta Pandas and 72-65 to those very same Cougars.
 
The 'Pack started their weekend off with a bang by snagging their lone win of the non-conference slate with a dramatic victory. Trailing by as many as 20 points on the night and by 15 at the half, the WolfPack outscored the Cougars 23-8 in the third frame en route to claiming the win.
 
Rookie Elana Sireni was 6-9 from beyond-the-arc to lead the team with 22 points while Kamloops product and fellow rookie Jessia Orr added 17 points of her own. Clutch free throws down the stretch from Kelsey Cruz and Danijela Kovacevic helped the 'Pack to victory.
 
"The girls did a super job, they supported one another and played together," said WolfPack head coach Ken Olynyk. "I told them to enjoy the game and have fun out there, I wanted them to be in the moment and I think they did that. They came out and had a lot of fight, I like what they showed at the end of the game."
 
Despite not playing on the night due to injury, veteran Megan Rouault of the 'Pack summed up what the victory meant for the team as they prepare to start the Canada West campaign.
 
"It meant everything. I told the girls I was so proud of them, and it was so nice to see them do that and to come together as a team," said Rouault, an engineering major from Vernon. "We've agreed that we're doing this for each other… that we are here for each other and they did it. Those girls have been working so hard since August 30 and they deserved that win so much. I feel so proud of them right now."
 
Facing a tough Alberta Pandas squad on Saturday, the 'Pack fell to a team that made it all the way to the U SPORTS National Championship tournament in 2019-20. A total of 11 different players scored for the WolfPack in what was a 24-point loss.
 
Wrapping up their weekend with another game against the Cougars, the WolfPack fell in another close contest between the two squads.
 
Anneke Cairnie scored 16 points and Sireni chipped in with 13 points and eight rebounds, but the WolfPack were unable to pull off another large comeback after trailing by 15 at the half.
 
The WolfPack get their 2021-22 Canada West season underway next weekend when they host the UNBC Timberwolves and UBC Okanagan Heat inside the TCC on October 29 and 30.