Weekend wrap: Women’s basketball Lions secure win over Thunderbirds

The York University Lions women’s basketball team etched its first tick in the win column on Friday night with a 59-52 victory over the Algoma University Thunderbirds at the Tait McKenzie Centre.

Fans in attendance were treated to some superb individual performances. Ishanaa Seupersadsingh headlined the night with her team-leading 14 points to help the Lions end their four-game winless streak.

The Lions’ victory could perhaps be solely credited to their fast start in the opening quarter. The Lions came out of the gate ready to throw the first punch and knock out the early. Six different Lions got involved and posted the team’s 20 points in the first quarter, outscoring the Thunderbirds by 11. More details on the York Lions website.

The next night against the University of Guelph Gryphons, the Lions rallied in the fourth quarter but came up short in a 71-62 loss.

The Gryphons led by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter but the Lions rallied to close the gap to just five with 1:22 remaining. With time winding down the Lions were forced to foul the Gryphons, and Megan Brenkel made four free throws to seal the win. More details. 

Men’s hockey Lions explode for six goals in win over Warriors

The York University Lions men’s hockey team equaled a season high with six goals on Saturday night in a 6-2 triumph over the University of Waterloo Warriors at Canlan Ice Sports in their final home game of the 2016 season.

The Lions enter the December break with an 11-5-2 record and in second place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) West standings, while the Warriors fell to 5-8-3 and are currently ninth in the division.

It didn’t take long for the Lions to get on the board in the contest as rookie Daniel Nikandrov found the back of the net just 58 seconds into the game for an early 1-0 lead. More details.

In their other game of the weekend, the Lions gave up four goals in one game for the first time since opening weekend in a 4-0 loss to the Carleton University Ravens on Friday night.

The Lions outshot the Ravens 10-7 in the first period, but it was Carleton that took the early lead, scoring a pair of goals in the opening period for a 2-0 advantage after one. OUA scoring leader Michael McNamee netted the first goal at 9:41 and Corey Durocher added another at 11:21. More details.

Men’s basketball Lions fall to Gryphons in last game of 2016

The York University Lions men’s basketball team suffered an 87-65 loss to the University of Guelph Gryphons in their final game of 2016 at the W. F. Mitchell Athletics Centre in Guelph, Ont., on Saturday night.

The Gryphons used a dominant first half to pull away from the Lions, outscoring them 18-12 in the first quarter and 24-12 in the second for a commanding 42-24 advantage at the half. The Lions played a much better third quarter, putting up 19 points to the Gryphons’ 18, but it wasn’t nearly enough to close the gap and the Gryphons went on to the lopsided victory. More details.

On Friday, the Lions looked like they were going to pick up their third win of the season against the Algoma University Thunderbirds, but the Thunderbirds late-game rally cut down a big lead by the Lions as they outscored the home team 30-18 in the final frame to come back and steal the victory.

In terms of the first quarter, the Lions flat out dominated. Ammar Hassan opened up the game by scoring York’s first five points. The Lions played aggressively at the boards to create mosecond-chancence scoring opportunities for themselves and this helped the Lions shut out the quarter leading 18-14. More details.