Algoma Wins SLC Vikings Women's Basketball Invitational

January 8, 2012 

KINGSTON, Ont. – The Algoma University Thunderbirds won the Fourth Annual Vikings Women's Basketball Invitational Tournament played at St. Lawrence College, January 6-8.

The Thunderbirds, of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., ended the tournament with a 57-47 win over the Loyalist College Lancers, of Belleville Ont,, in the championship game on Sunday afternoon.

Corina Bruni scored 12 points and had eight assists in the final for Algoma. She was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

Two other Thunderbirds, Misaki Kawai and Kayla Kiessig, were named tournament All-Stars.

Jenni Thompson led the Loyalist attack, scoring 18 points in the final. She was named a tournament All-Star, along with teammate Martine Gauvin.

The Thunderbirds overcame a slow start – they trailed 12-1 at one point in the first quarter – and won the game with a strong fourth quarter, in which they outscored Loyalist 17-8.

Here are recaps of other games on the final day. 

Consolation-Round Final: Nouvelles Frontieres 53, Georgian 50

Nouvelles Frontiers held off a late surge by the Georgian Grizzlies to win the consolation-round final 53-50. Nouvelles Frontieres built a 31-15 lead by half time, only to allow Georgian to come back and eventually take over the lead briefly in the fourth quarter.

But Nouvelles Frontiers hit some important shots in the dying minutes. Two free throws by Lindsay Paquette with less than a second left sealed the win.

Paquette finished with a game-high 23 points and was named a tournament All-Star. Megan Robertson led Georgian scorers with 13 points.

Championship Round Third-Place Game: Durham 66, Mohawk 65

Erin Emery scored a layup at the buzzer to give the Durham Lords a 66-65 victory over the Mohawk Mountaineers. The basket completed a stunning comeback, as the Lords trained 39-30 at the half and 46-30 at one point in the third quarter.

Emery finished with nine points. But Kelsey Hare was the game's highest scorer, with 27 points for Durham.

Rachelle Abella had 26 points to lead Mohawk. Marina Ciannavei was Mohawk's second leading scorer, with 18 points.

Seventh-Place Game: Sainte-Foy 84, St. Lawrence 49

Four different players hit double digits in scoring to lead the College Sainte-Foy Dynamiques to an 84-49 victory over the host St. Lawrence Vikings in Sunday's early morning game.

Noemie Dicaire had 18 points, while Marie Florence Chandonnet had 13 points. Anne-Frederique D'Amours had 12 points and Maude Roussin had 10 points.

The host team was led by Corisa Cluett, with 21 points. Through three games, Cluett, of Kingston, had 41 points to lead her team.

Keshia Conway, of Kingston, also had an impressive tournament. She capped the tournament with a seven-point, 14-rebound performance. Through three games, she had 35 points, a number boosted by her nine three-pointers.

Here are the tournament's award winners:

Tournament MVP:

Corina Bruni, Algoma

All-Stars:

Lindsay Paquette, Nouvelles Frontieres
Martine Gauvin, Loyalist
Jenni Thompson, Loyalist
Misaki Kawai, Algoma
Kayla Kiessig, Algoma

Here are the scores from games on Days 1 and 2. For more game recaps, please visit www.slcathletics.com

Friday, Jan. 6

Game 1: Durham 59, Nouvelles Frontiers 51
Game 2: Mohawk 68, Georgian 51
Game 3: Loyalist 77, St. Lawrence 25
Game 4: Algoma 76, Sainte-Foy 42

Saturday, Jan. 7

Game 5: Nouvelles Frontieres 82, St. Lawrence 42
Game 6: Georgian 75, Sainte-Foy 73
Game 7: Algoma 82, Mohawk 43
Game 8: Loyalist 56, Durham 31