Box Score OSHAWA, Ont. — The Winnipeg Wesmen battled back to give their interim coach her first win.

The Wesmen women's basketball team overcame a 14-point halftime deficit and pulled away for a 72-59 win Friday night over the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in the non-conference opener for both teams. 

The victory marked win No. 1 for interim head coach Robyn Boulanger, who is stepping into the lead role with Alyssa Cox on maternity leave until January 2027. Boulanger played five seasons for the Wesmen and was doused in water in celebration by her team in the locker-room after the game. 

"It was great. I didn't expect to get soaked, but that's OK, that's what it comes with," she said. "It's been great coaching this group. We started the work back in April so it's been a great experience so far and it was nice to come back from a 14-point deficit at half and really show all the work we've been putting in.

"Once a Wesmen, always a Wesmen, so it's nice to be at this stage of my career."

In the first-ever meeting between the two programs, the Ridgebacks took over late in the first quarter and starting the second, holding the Wesmen without a point for a stretch of 3:36 as they went on an 11-0 run to take a 21-14 lead. Right after a Raia Guinto three ended that Ontario Tech run, the Ridgebacks put together a 14-2 run to push their lead to 16.

Jen Kallon's layup at the buzzer got the Wesmen to within 14 heading into half. 

The Wesmen found another level in the third quarter, outscoring the home team 29-14. Winnipeg chipped the lead down to 10 midway through the quarter and then put together a 10-3 run to trail by three at 48-45. Kallon, who finished with a game-high 18 points and six rebounds, later added another layup to tie it at 49 with 1:32 left in the third, and Guinto's bucket on the next possession gave Winnipeg its first lead since the first quarter. 

Winnipeg held OTU to just seven points in the fourth quarter and 21 for the second half. 

Guinto finished with 16 points and Jazmin Birch scored 10 of her 13 after halftime while adding six boards.

All four of the Wesmen first-years saw action with two notable performances: Emma Elliott scored seven points off the bench and Ella Castres scored five with three steals and three assists in 19 minutes.  

Adra Barnet led the Ridgebacks with 14 points.

The Wesmen will be back in action Saturday to face the Laval Rouge et Or at noon Central.