The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women’s basketball team fell 84-67 to the visiting Western Mustangs on Saturday, Nov. 28 at U of T Athletic Centre Sports Gym.

Rookie guard Beckie Williams (London, Ont.) led Western with 14 points through the first 20 minutes, including three three-pointers, to help her team build an 18-point lead at the end of the first half.

It was a great team effort overall for the Mustangs as all nine players who hit the floor in the first two quarters recorded a basket.

Despite being in foul trouble early on, Blues all-star forward Nicki Schutz was impressive, fighting off double and triple teams and still shooting 6-of-12 for 14 points. Schutz also pulled in 10 rebounds for her second double-double of the season in only 14 minutes of action in the first two quarters.

Down 51-33 at the half, it didn’t get an easier for the Blues in the third quarter as the Mustangs continued their full-court press, forcing Toronto turnovers and creating numerous fast break opportunities on which they capitalized.

It was Mustangs senior guard Amanda Anderson who took over for her teammate, nailing 11 of the team’s 23 third-quarter points and giving the visitors a comfortable 26-point led down the stretch.

The Blues managed to win the battle in the fourth and final frame, outscoring Western 19-10 with Schutz and Erin McNeely (Kingston, Ont.) accounting for 10 of those points.

A Toronto native, Schutz led all players with 25 points and 13 rebounds. 5-foot-8 guard Joanna Medri (Toronto) tallied eight points, five boards and added six assists, while fourth year guard, McNeely, added 10 in the losing cause.

Anderson (Dover Centre, Ont.) led the Mustangs with 19 points and had four rebounds, while Williams knocked down 15 and veteran forward Laruen Parkes (London, Ont.) added 14 points and five boards. Also from London, second-year forward Katelyn Leddy led the squad with 13 rebounds and tallied eight points in the win.

The Blues finish off the first half of their season next week when they travel to McMaster on Wednesday, Dec. 2 to play the Marauders at 6 p.m., and then to Thunder Bay on Thursday where they’ll play the Lakehead Thunderbirds. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

These two games were initially to be played on November 13th and 14th, however due to confirmed cases of HINI on the Varsity Blues women's basketball team at the time; they were postponed and are now being played on December 2nd and 3rd.

For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.