Following a nail-biting first win of the season on Friday, the York University Lions women's basketball team was looking to emulate their 62-61 performance against their cross-town rivals, the Toronto Varsity Blues. 

This time, however, it was Toronto coming out on top in a one possession game, downing the Lons 82-80 in the second game of the home-and-home series, as the Blues secured the series split and their first victory of the season in another wire-to-wire contest Saturday afternoon at the Goldring Centre.

In spite of the loss, the Lions were propelled by an outstanding game-high performance of 30 points from Kiara Leveridge, complemented by Ruqaya Green's contribution of 13 points.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• York struggled to score in the first half of the opening quarter, with Toronto's defence making it difficult to find space for the Lions to generate any offence. With York down 17-9 with 3:14 remaining in the quarter, it was the combined seven-point efforts of Leveridge and Green to trim the lead back to 17-16. In the dying seconds of the quarter, Sienna Caesar recovered a loose ball for a layup and gave the Blues a 19-16 advantage heading into the second frame.    
• The Lions gained offensive momentum in the second quarter, equalizing the score at 22 each at three minutes into the quarter off a Gabriella Di Pietro jump shot.
• Trailing 32-30 with 3:20 left in the second, the Lions went on an impressive 13-4 run, establishing a 43-36 lead with 1:13 remaining until halftime. Nevertheless, the hosts did not back down, countering with a 5-0 run of their own to narrow the gap to 43-41 at recess. 
• The Lions countered with another surge out of the break, crafting a 9-2 run in the first three minutes of the third quarter to take a 52-43 lead. However, the Blues regained their momentum, responding with a 12-3 run and knotting the score at 55-55, courtesy of Ellen Ougrinov's three-point jump shot midway through the frame. The Lions maintained a slender one-point advantage, 62-61, entering the final frame.
• The Blues put together a 10-2 run at the start of the closing quarter to grab a 71-64 lead. With 2:25 remaining on the clock and the Blues up 77-70, the Lions embarked on a 6-1 run to trim the deficit to 78-76 with 43 seconds remaining. 
• Leveridge continued to be the difference-maker on the court for the Lions with 11 points in the quarter,, as she fired a three-pointer while drawing a foul. With what could've been a four-point play to trim the deficit to one, Leveridge missed. The Blues, meanwhile, who had a strong showing from the free-throw line, ultimately proved decisive in the closing moments to secure an 82-80 victory in a closely-contested fourth quarter.

LOOKING AHEAD:

The Lions will look to regroup as they host the two teams from the nation's capital on the final weekend of the fall term, beginning with the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Friday, Dec. 1. Tip-off is slated for 6:00 pm from the Tait McKenzie Centre.