Even the holiday season can’t stop the Gaels.
Right into their first two games back from the break, the Queen’s Women’s Basketball team travelled to Ottawa to take on the Carleton Ravens and Ottawa Gee-Gees. A historically tough road trip due to the high-end programs the universities have built, respectively, yet the Gaels took care of business, achieving two convincing wins.
The first game on Jan. 9, against the Ravens, ended in a 57-43 win for the Gaels. Bella Gaudet Comm ’25, had a game-high 19 points on an impressive six-of-nine from the three-point line. The Ottawa native is coming off an ACL injury.
In the second game against the Gee-Gees on Jan. 10, dominance continued with an 85-66 victory. Kiyara Letlow MSc ’25, finished the game with a double-double as she continues to add to her USports rebound record. Gaudet also achieved 19 points for the second straight game in a row.
READ MORE: Kiayra Letlow breaks U Sports rebound record
In an interview with The Journal, Women’s Basketball Head Coach Claire Meadows acknowledged how difficult it can be to play in those environments. “They do a great job of filling the stands, it’s two tough games,” said Meadows. “I thought our players did a fantastic job playing an extremely physical game Friday night and then turning around and getting the job done on Saturday night.”
Meadows credits the success to the hard work her athletes have been doing in their training, as well as a practice squad that competes against them during the week. “They come in, and they work hard, so it keeps the competition high during the week.” The practice squad mentioned is made up of eight to nine players and is attributed to their success, particularly with the month-long break.
With the win, the Gaels now sit third in the USports rankings as they slowly keep climbing. They face a tough test this weekend, where they host the 12-2 Guelph Gryphons on Jan. 16 and the 8-4 York Lions on Jan. 17.
Tags
Basketball, Carleton Ravens, Kiyara Letlow, Ottawa Gee Gees
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