KAMLOOPS – Taking on the first-place Fraser Valley Cascades, the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's basketball team led at the halftime break before waning late in an eventual 73-54 defeat in Abbotsford, B.C.
 
A massive second quarter that saw the WolfPack outscore the Cascades 20-8 sent TRU into the intermission with a 33-29 lead thanks to a late three-pointer from Danijela Kovacevic, but from then on out it was all Fraser Valley.
 
The WolfPack bench outscored the Cascades' 38-15, but the host squad did their damage down low, racking up 38 points in the paint to the 'Pack's 14 and winning the battle on the boards by a tally of 52-35.
 
A massive part in the WolfPack's lead was the play of Jessica Orr. The rookie from Kamloops was unstoppable in the first half, knocking down five of the six three pointers she attempted en route to 17 points at the half.
 
Orr finished the game with 19 points, Kovacevic added 14 – the most in her short Canada West career – while team captain Megan Rouault scored six points, pulled down six rebounds and added two steals in her first action of the season.
 
Deanna Tuchscherer was everywhere for the Cascades, recording a double-double with 26 points and 1 rebounds while Victoria Jacobse had a double-double of her own with 12 and 11.
 
After their impressive showing in the first half, the 'Pack were limited to just 21 points in the final 20 minutes of play while UFV tallied 44 to pull away.
 
These two teams will be back in action tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.in Abottsford. That game can be watched live on canadawest.tv.