Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics

SASKATOON, Sask. – Trial by fire is probably the best way to describe the young Griffins' experience in their visit to the University of Saskatchewan on Friday night.

With a lineup including nine players in their first or second seasons, the Griffins were burnt by an experience national championship contender Huskies lineup that scored at will, racking up a dominant 91-27 victory.

"It was a great lesson in what the top teams looks like for our young team," said MacEwan head coach Katherine Adams. "We haven't played a team like Saskatchewan yet. So, this was a great lesson in what the best teams in the country look like. 

"Welcome. Welcome to the top tier in Canada West. We were shell-shocked today and never got our feet under us to recover."

With the result, MacEwan falls to 0-3 on the young season, while Saskatchewan, ranked second in the country, are now 3-0.

Carly Ahlstrom led the Huskies with 24 points, while five other Saskatchewan players finished in double digits – Gage Grassick (16), Courtney Primeau (12), Maya Flindall (12), Tea DeMong (11) and Andrew Dodig (10).

MacEwan was led by Toki Tsuzuki, who finished with eight points, while Noelle Kilbreath chipped in seven points and five rebounds.

The Griffins committed 40 turnovers in the contest, which was chief among the reasons why the result didn't work out for them.

"It was them dictating different things to us and us thinking this is where I'm supposed to go, so this is what I'm going to do, and them taking that away," said Adams. "So, now it's for us to become good decision makers that if teams take our first option away, we have to figure out what's next."

The teams will meet again on Saturday (4 p.m. MT, Canada West TV).