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The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's basketball team fell 72-62 to the Western Mustangs on Friday night (Nov. 15) at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym.

With the loss, the Blues drop to 0-4 to start the season, while the Mustangs improve to 4-1.

Rookie guard Emily Piccini of Dundas, Ont., led the Blues with 14 points, while veteran forward Alicia Van Kampen Amaranth, Ont.) had 12 points and nine boards. Jill Stratton (Etobicoke, Ont.) added 10 points and six assists, with both Rahshida Atkinson and Rachael Sider adding nine in the loss.

Fifth-year Mustangs guard Jenny Vaughn (Dundas) led all players with 20 points, with Melissa Rondinelli (Sarnia, Ont.) adding 16 points and six boards. Katelyn Leddy also posted a double-double of 14 points and 12 boards in the win.

Ronindelli and Vaughan got the Mustangs off to a good start but a six-point first quarter from Piccini saw the home team only trail by three (17-14) at the end of the first quarter.

Sider brought the game within two (26-24) midway through the second quarter with back-to-back buckets and Van Kampen evened the score two minutes later. Vaughn and Stratton exchanged baskets and Western added a late three to take a 35-29 lead into halftime.   

The Mustangs extended their lead in the early goings of the third quarter, but the Blues clawed back and a Stratton layup with six seconds remaining cut the deficit to four (49-45) heading into the final frame.

Western opened the fourth on a 6-0 run and despite some impressive catch-up work from the Blues, including back-to-back three's from Piccini and Atkinson, they ended the game on the wrong side of a 72-62 decision.  
 
The Varsity Blues return to the court tomorrow night as they host the No. 2 Windsor Lancers at the Athletic Centre Sports Gym. Advanced tickets are on sale here. The game will also be streamed live on GoBlues.tv starting with tip off at 6 p.m. 

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