SHERBROOKE - Edith Noblecilla (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Santo Domingo de Guzmain)'s 18 points led the Bishop's Gaiters as they held on to edge the No. 3-ranked Laval Rouge et Or 59-58 in Quebec university women's basketball league action on Friday afternoon at the Mitchell Gym in Lennoxville. The fifth-year point guard went 9-for-19 from the field and added seven assists as the Gaiters improved to 7-7 in league play and clinched their first playoff spot since 2012.

Bishop's (14-10, 7-7 RSEQ) led by as many as 15 points in the fourth quarter, but had to withstand a late comeback, as Laval (19-6, 9-4 RSEQ) closed to within one point, and possession of the ball with four seconds left. However, to the relief of the home crowd, Jane Gagné's shot with one second to go lipped out to give the Gaiters the win.

The Gaiters trailed through most of the first quarter and trailed 20-13 after 10 minutes. However, the Bishop's defence clamped down in the second, holding the Rouge et Or to just two field goals in the period, and Noblecilla's layup at the halftime buzzer gave the Gaiters a 25-24 halftime lead. 

Bishop's started to pull away late in the third quarter, as they went on a 9-2 run to end the period, and took a 42-36 lead into the short break. The Gaiters continued to roll to start the fourth, scoring the first nine points of the period to take their biggest lead of the day at 51-36 with 7:06 left to play.

At that point, it may have seemed that the Gaiters could safely start making playoff plans, however the nationally-ranked visitors had other plans. They chipped away at the lead through the fourth quarter, cutting it to 56-49 with two minutes to go. A three-pointer by Carrie-Ann Auger with 1:21 left pulled Laval to within four points at 56-52. After the teams traded baskets, a free-throw by Maude Archambault (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que./Collège Montmorency) - the last of her 11 points on the day - with 18 seconds left seemed to put the game in hand.

However, there was one last twist in the Laval tail. Claudia Emond hit a three-pointer with eight seconds left to chop the Gaiter lead to two points, 59-57. Four seconds later, with the Gaiters attempting to run out the clock, an ill-advised technical foul by Mara Marchizotti (Buenos Aires, Argentina/) turned the game on its head. The veteran centre was fouled by Laval's Raphaëlle Côté with four seconds left, and responded by throwing the ball at Côté. Laval's Sarah-Jane Marois made the technical free throw, putting Laval in a position to win on the last possession. However, Gagné's shot didn't fall, and a collective sigh of relief was heard throughout the Mitchell Gym.

For Bishop's, in addition to Noblecilla's 18 points, Ashley Milhomme (Repentigny, Que./Collège Montmorency) and Maude Archambault (Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Que./Collège Montmorency) each had 11 points. Gaiters rookie sensation Marie-Evrardine Berrouette (Montreal, Que./Dawson College) was a point short of a double-double, with nine points and 12 rebounds. 

Laval was led by Emond, who scored 16 points and added six assists, while Marois was the only other Rouge et Or player in double figures, with 10 points.

Bishop's outshot Laval 39 per cent to 35, and forced 19 turnovers. 

WIth the win, the Gaiters will play in the RSEQ playoffs for the first time since 2012, at a date and site to be determined. They currently sit third in the RSEQ, two wins back of both Laval and McGill. The Gaiters are next in action on Saturday, as they visit McGill. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. in Montreal.