KAMLOOPS – An 11-point swing to start the second half was the difference as the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's basketball team fell to the visiting Trinity Western Spartans by a score of 73-50 on Saturday evening.
 
Keeping pace with the division-leading Spartans throughout the opening 20 minutes of play, a young WolfPack squad trailed by just seven points at the break thanks in large part to eight points and eight rebounds from Anneke Cairnie.
 
The Spartans came out of the halftime break and put the game beyond a doubt however.
 
In the opening six minutes of the third quarter TWU went 5-11 from the floor as a team led by seven points from Kianna Wiens. On the defensive end the Spartans stifled the WolfPack offence by holding the hosts to making just one of their first ten shots in the frame. After the dust had settled on what was a 15-4 Spartan run the score was 46-28 for the visitors, giving them a lead that they wouldn't surrender the rest of the way.
 
Nicole Fransson had another dominant night for the Spartans, putting up 25 points and 14 boards in her 24 minutes on the court. Kianna Wiens added 15 and 10 as the two veterans combined to lead the Spartans to their eighth-straight victory to start the season.
 
Elana Sireni scored a team-high nine points for the 'Pack while Cairnie battled for eight points and 13 rebounds.
 
The game was won and lost on the boards. TWU out-rebounded the 'Pack 56-27, including 21-4 offensive rebounds. The visiting Spartans scored 20 second-chance points on the night.
 
Next up for the WolfPack is a trip to Langley when they will take on the Spartans on Saturday, January 15 at 3 p.m.