The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's basketball team kicked off their preseason today (Sept. 28) with a hard-fought loss against the St. Francis Xavier X-Women. Despite a challenging 82-44 outcome, the team showed heart and resilience on the court.

Third-year sociology major Alex Jaglall led the Blues with 11 points, including a perfect six-for-six from the free-throw line, and grabbed five rebounds. Rookie guard Nia Wright had an impressive debut, contributing eight points. Second-year wing Sienna Caesar was a defensive standout with six rebounds and a team-high four steals. Thuraya Abdul Hamid anchored the defense, adding four rebounds and two steals of her own.

Today also marked the debut of new head coach Dianna Ros, who brought relentless energy and motivation, pushing the Blues to stay strong on defense, giving the Blues a platform to build on for future games.

Up next, the Blues will face off against the McMaster Marauders on Wednesday, October 2 at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.