For immediate release

Kwantlen Eagles win back-to-back home games

Metro Vancouver, BC – (January 30, 2012) – The Kwantlen Eagles played host last weekend to rivals from north of the Burrard Inlet, Quest University on Friday, January 27 and Capilano University on Saturday, January 28th.

In a weekend filled with anxiety, the Eagles Men needed two wins in order to stay in contention for a play-off berth, and they didn't disappoint. On Friday, the Eagles soared to an 82 – 76 victory. Leading the team, third-year center Ali Bosir (Surrey) tallied 19 points and 6 rebounds followed closely by third-year forward, Varinder Singh (Delta) with 18 points. Also bringing in double-digit points were first-year guard Aaron Ram (Surrey) with 12 points and second-year guard Mark Mitchell (Toronto, ON) with 11 points.

On Saturday, the Eagles continued to soar, leading in points throughout most of the game. Despite fouling out in the final minutes of the game, first year point guard Chris Arcangel (Toronto, ON) racked up 18 points to share the high scoring with teammate and first-year guard Aaron Ram (Surrey). First-year forward, Tristan Gruenthaler (Abbotsford) led the team with 8 rebounds and 7 assists; second-year guard Mark Mitchell (Toronto, ON) hit two clutch free throws in the final minutes of the game to pull ahead and steal the win 71 – 69.

Reminiscing on the weekend, head coach Stefon Wilson commented, "This weekend was very important for us. We knew that we would have two hard battles both Friday and Saturday. I am very proud of my players for stepping up to the challenge. We played with a lot of energy on defense and made some big shots on offense."

The Eagles Women came out cohesively as a team against the Quest Kermodes but it was still not enough to stop some strong runs late in the game from their PACWEST rivals. Only down by 7 points going into the fourth quarter, the Eagles switched up their defense allowing an opportunity for the Kermodes to sink a bushel of three-pointers and led them to a 55 – 76 finish.

On Saturday, the Eagles Women hosted the Capilano Blues in a close game leading in points through three of the four quarters and only faltering in the second quarter with a single digit posting. Strong showings by second-year center, Samantha McPhail (Vancouver) with 20 points and 12 rebounds as well as first-year guard, Jessica Villadiego (Surrey) with 9 rebounds kept the Eagles in contention throughout the game but in the end it wasn't enough; the Eagles fell 68 – 76.

"This was the best forty minutes we have played as a team. We made strides offensively and executed down the stretch opening up with three lay-ups right at the beginning of the game," commented assistant coach Emily Wright. "We are now focused on the next game [against Douglas] which is a big game for us to clinch a play-off spot."

After Week 7 action, the Eagles Women remain in 6th place in the PACWEST standings and the Eagles Men remain in 7th place and still in contention for a play-off spot. The Eagles host Douglas College on Friday, February 3 and travel to Columbia Bible College on Saturday, February 4.

Complete game results can be found at: www.kwantlen.ca/eagles

Kwantlen Polytechnic University has been serving the Metro Vancouver region for 30 years, and has opened doors to success for more than 200,000 people. Four campuses—Richmond, Surrey, Cloverdale and Langley—offer a comprehensive range of sought-after programs, including business, liberal arts and science, design, health, trades and technology, apprenticeships, horticulture, and academic and career advancement. Over 17,000 students annually have a choice from over 135 programs, including bachelor's degrees, associate degrees, diplomas, certificates and citations.

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For more information about the Kwantlen Eagles, contact:
Elise Le Brun
Director, Athletics & Recreation
Tel: 604.599.2005
elise.lebrun@kwantlen.ca

For more information about Kwantlen, contact:
Joanne Saunders
Director, Marketing and Communications
Tel: 604.599.2243
joanne.saunders@kwantlen.ca