It was a big weekend for Memorial University basketball as the Sea-Hawks’ women’s team made it four wins in a row, while the men’s squad finally got its first taste of victory on the year during a homestand against St. Francis Xavier University at the Field House.
MUN’s Lady Birds improved to 4-2 with an 87-66 thumping of the X-Women Sunday, following up on a 70-57 victory Saturday night.
As for the Sea-Hawks’ men, Corner Brook’s Nathan Barker enjoyed the biggest game of his MUN career, draining 30 points Sunday in an 80-76 triumph.
The Sea-Hawks, now 1-5, lost Saturday night in a wild one, 103-96.
Rosie Stanoev, a fourth-year forward out of Gonzaga high school, scored 23 points, grabbed six rebounds and had three steals for the Sea-Hawks Sunday. Sydney Stewart had 17 points and six boards, and Brooklyn Wright netted 15 points and pulled down six rebounds, as well.
The Sea-Hawks led 41-26 at halftime.
Saturday night, Wright had a big night with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Stanoev scored 12 points and also recorded 10 boards. Stewart was there with 14 points and eight rebounds.
Memorial led 40-22 at halftime, thanks to a big second quarter when the Sea-Hawks ran away from the X-Women, outscoring them 23-6.
The X-Women are winless in six games this year. Next weekend, the Sea-Hawks face a tougher task with a pair of games against the University of New Brunswick, which is also 4-2, in Fredericton, N.B.
Memorial then goes on a lengthy five-week break for exams/Christmas.
Barker, a second-year, 6-4 forward from Corner Brook Regional High, was dominant Sunday against the 1-4 X-Men.
Barker sits ninth in the Atlantic University Sport conference scoring parade, averaging 16.8 points per game.
Daniel Gordon, long amongst Memorial’s top scorers coming off the bench, started and scored 17 points. Davion Parnsalu netted 11 points and recorded 10 rebounds.
The Sea-Hawks led by 10 at the half, but the X-Men made it a game, outscoring their hosts 29-20 in the third quarter.
Barker sealed the win, making both free throws with 12 seconds left on the clock.
Gordon, in a starting role, was the man for the Sea-Hawks Saturday with 30 points. Barker netted 23, Parnsalu scored 15 and Greg Manuel chipped in with 12.
The men’s team also takes on the Varsity Reds next weekend. UNB is unbeaten so far at 6-0.
VOLLEYBALL
The Sea-Hawks’ women’s volleyball team struggled over the weekend at an AUS league tournament in Moncton, N.B., winning only once in four games.
That lone victory, a 3-0 decision, came against UNB Saturday. Later in the day, the Sea-Hawks lost 3-1 to Acadia. Memorial dropped a 3-1 decision to Saint Mary’s Sunday, and fell 3-0 to Dalhousie Friday.
Memorial is in a three-way tie for second place in the AUS standings with Saint Mary’s and Acadia with 10 points apiece. Dal leads at 8-1.
The league breaks now for exams and Christmas, resuming Jan. 12.
SWIMMING
Dalhousie University played host to the Kemp Fry Invitational swim meet in Halifax, which saw two Memorial swimmers, Charli LeBlanc and Jasmine Foran, post U Sports qualifying times.
LeBlanc won both the 50m and 100m backstroke and 50m freestyle, setting provincial records along the way. She qualified for nationals in the 50 back and 50 free.
She finished second in the 100m free.
Foran won the 100m breaststroke with a new provincial record, hitting her U Sports mark along the way. She also won both the 50m and 200m breaststroke events, qualifying for the nationals.
Other Sea-Hawks’ results saw Raquel Morgan win silver in the 100m breaststroke and Ryan George bronze in the 50m backstroke.
The Sea-Hawks were third of five teams in both men’s and women’s team competition.
