SHERBROOKE, Que. – Bishop's Gaiters floor general Edith Noblecilla scored 13 points for the hosts but it wasn't enough as the No. 8 Laval Rouge et Or topped the purple and silver 63-46 on Saturday night in RSEQ University Women's Basketball action in Mitchell Gym.
 
Laval was paced by Raphaëlle Côté (Maria, Que.) who tallied a "double-double" with 18 points and 11 rebounds for the guests who improve to 2-1 on year while Bishop's falls to 0-3.
 
Saturday's contest got off to a shaky start as both teams struggled from the field.  Laval was able to pull ahead thanks to rebounding and second chance points. When the final buzzer sounded Laval had put up 72 shots, making 25 of them (34.7 percent) compared to just 47 attempted and 16 made by the Gaiters (34 percent). On the glass it was a dominating performance by the Rouge et Or.  They grabbed 47 rebounds including 22 on the offensive end resulting in 16 second chance points. That compared to Bishop's 32 boards, seven of them offensive and just two second chance points. The Gaiters also turned the ball over 10 more times than their guests (26-16).
 
Noblecilla (Quito, Ecuador) took the Gaiters on her back as they challenged the nation's eighth ranked team.  After trailing by five at halftime, Bishop's seemed poised to find the win column and Noblecilla looked to be the one to lead them there.  She finished with a team high 13 points on 5-10 shooting from the floor and a 3-4 performance from the charity stripe.
She added four assists and a steal in 31 minutes on the floor.
 
Despite the effort Laval answered every push from the Gaiters as they went on to win every quarter and eventually finish on top 63-46.
 
Next up for the Gaiters is a tilt with the Concordia Stingers on Saturday in Montreal. It is their last game before heading into the exam period and Christmas break. Concordia will also be looking to find their victory of the year as they sit at 0-3 alongside the Gaiters in the basement of the RSEQ. Game time for Saturday's contest is set for 2 p.m. at Concordia Gymnasium.
 
Follow the Gaiters anytime at www.gaiters.ca or on social media using @BishopsGaiters.
 
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