Ingalls lights up Griffins on senior weekend

If there were any doubts that Piper Ingalls is the best shooter in Brandon University women’s volleyball history, she did her best to erase them on Friday.

Ingalls dropped a game-high 32 points in a 108-91 victory over Edmonton’s MacEwan University Griffins at the Healthy Living Centre.

She moved into 24th in Canada West all-time made three-pointers, hitting four of seven while shooting 11-for-18 from the field.

“It’s just amazing what she can do,” said second-year guard Madi Schettler. “Whenever the ball’s going to her, I know it’s going in.”

It’s safe to say Ingalls is having more fun than ever on the court as well.

The Moose Jaw, Sask., native arrived at BU in 2019 but redshirted, then had the COVID-19 season, so she didn’t play until 2021 and didn’t start until the following season.

She endured a winless season and a few that weren’t much better but persevered and now has the Bobcats (6-11) a win away from a playoff appearance.

BU can get it today in a rematch with MacEwan (0-17) at 5 p.m.

“It’s exciting, it being my last game in this gym,” said Ingalls, who will be recognized for Senior Night after the game.

Considering former Bobcats coach Novell Thomas felt she needed an extra year to develop when she arrived, Ingalls has come a long way.

She’s closing in on 1,000-career points, something only 1980s BU great Janet Lumsden has accomplished on the women’s side in this city.

The five-foot-three guard has grown in her ability, but also in maturity.

“I was definitely a hothead for the past seven years,” Ingalls admitted. “This year, I’ve grown a bit from that.

“I know that doesn’t help my team out, getting the technicals, all the technicals I had last year, that just does not help my team and I needed to be better.”

She said the turning point came last year, when she picked up two unsportsmanlike fouls in short succession and had to leave a game early.

“Me and my coach (Ilarion Bonhomme) had a talk, and he wasn’t the happiest with me, but he still believed in me,” Ingalls said, adding she is more comfortable than ever in her role.

“A lot of our girls help with everything on the floor. I don’t know if I have a lot of responsibility, but I know I’m the oldest on the team and I need to have a cool head out there.”

Her career-high in points came on a night when her whole team was on fire.

Macaya Copeland made the first three shots she took, including two from three-point range. Amaya McLeod knocked down another trey, and in a heartbeat, Brandon led 13-3.

Just as quickly, Unity Obasuyi answered out of a timeout with a pair of buckets to narrow the gap. The third-year forward scored her team’s first eight points before Ayla Grady hit a triple and three free throws to cap an 11-0 Griffins run to go up 14-13.

But the first quarter had more runs than a Manitoba ski resort, and Brandon’s next one was big. Schettler sunk a three, and Ingalls added two more long balls as BU had a 14-2 stretch and led 32-20 through 10 minutes.

Copeland kept cooking in the second quarter, adding a quick eight points against a physical MacEwan defence that picked up an unsportsmanlike foul and seemed like it was trying to take a few more.

The middle part of the frame was a full-blown track meet, as Obasuyi rattled off 10 points while the Bobcat guards were creating good looks in the first seven seconds of the shot clock.

Brandon shot an astonishing 9-for-11 from deep in the half and 53.7 per cent from the field while limiting MacEwan to 42.1 per cent, translating to a 63-48 advantage.

Regression was bound to happen after a first-half scoreline that resembled a full game. Obasuyi helped the Griffins cut the lead to eight while limiting the Bobcats to just seven points in the first eight minutes of the third quarter.

The Bobcats hit a few shots late, but their lead was just 76-67 heading to the fourth.

Ingalls quieted the comeback bid with a quick three to start the final frame, then dished to Jayna Maytwayashing for two before Copeland stole the ensuing inbounds pass and hit McLeod for a 7-0 run that took just 38 seconds.

The Bobcats locked it down on defence, stretching their lead over 20 and affording coach Ilarion Bonhomme the chance to run his bench for a few extra minutes and cruise to victory.

With one more win, the Bobcats could drop both to Manitoba next week and still make the playoffs if Lethbridge (5-13) doesn’t sweep Alberta (13-4).

For Ingalls, knowing she has played a pivotal role in that means a lot.

“I’m really proud,” Ingalls said. “Our coach has really helped with that. Him coming in a year ago has just helped our program so much.”

FREE THROWS: In Edmonton, the Bobcats women’s volleyball team (3-14) lost 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-23) to the Griffins (6-11). Nerissa Dyer led BU with nine kills and two errors, while Kara Frith and Arden Butler recorded 13 apiece for MacEwan.

» tfriesen@brandonsun.com