Queen's Women's Basketball capped off its weekend road trip with a hard-fought 59-56 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs, overcoming a short bench, in-game adversity, and a second-half injury to Katrina Renon (Arts & Science) to improve to 15-5 on the season.

With just six players available and both starting guards—Brooke Hussey (Kinesiology) and Ally Smith (Kinesiology)—sidelined due to injuries sustained the night before, the Gaels relied on a resilient team effort to grind out the win. Renon delivered a dominant performance, finishing with a game-high 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting, while adding eight rebounds. Bree Bourget (Kinesiology) contributed nine points, six rebounds, and five assists, while Amy Hagman (Kinesiology) stepped up late, scoring eight points and sinking crucial free throws in the dying moments to seal the victory.

Queen's and Laurentian traded baskets early, with Bourget opening the scoring on a tough spinning layup before the Gaels forced a shot clock violation on the other end. The first quarter remained tight, as both teams found success inside, with Queen's consistently feeding Renon in the paint for high-percentage looks. The Voyageurs held a narrow 19-18 lead after the first 10 minutes.

Scoring slowed in the second quarter, as both teams struggled to find rhythm offensively. After more than four minutes with only one made field goal between the two teams, Renon broke through with a smooth shimmy move in the post, finishing through contact to give the Gaels the lead. Without Hussey in the lineup to attack the rim and create open perimeter looks for Smith, Queen's was forced to play at a more methodical pace, relying on interior scoring. The Gaels' defense held Laurentian to just four points in the opening six minutes of the frame, and by halftime, Queen's had built a 32-23 advantage, with Renon already up to 18 points.

Laurentian came out strong in the third quarter, quickly erasing Queen's lead with an 11-2 run to tie the game at 34. The shift in momentum continued as Renon attacked the rim but landed awkwardly after a hard fall, rolling an ankle and sustaining a cut to the face. Forced to leave the game for treatment, Queen's was left with no available substitutes, and Laurentian capitalized, briefly taking a four-point lead.

Despite the adversity, the Gaels found a response. Hagman and Vobia Kalome (Arts & Science) tightened up defensively, while Bourget kept the offense moving. Renon made a determined return to the court later in the quarter and immediately made an impact, grabbing an offensive rebound and assisting Bourget for a corner three. Laurentian carried a 44-43 lead into the final frame.

Queen's started the fourth quarter with urgency, retaking the lead as Hagman connected from the free-throw line. The Gaels then went on a decisive 12-1 run, shutting down Laurentian's offense while making timely baskets on the other end. Renon fought through her injury to add another tough finish in the paint, and Kalome provided key defensive stops to maintain the lead.

With the Gaels ahead by three in the final seconds, Hagman drove inside for an off-balance layup to extend the lead. Laurentian responded immediately, cutting the deficit back to one with a quick basket, forcing a Queen's timeout with just four seconds remaining. On the ensuing inbounds play, Laurentian was forced to foul, sending Hagman to the line, where she calmly sank both free throws to put the game out of reach.

Despite missing key players and facing a tough road environment, Queen's found a way to secure its 15th win of the season. The Gaels dominated the paint, outscoring Laurentian 32-8 inside, and held a 32-26 rebounding advantage.

Queen's now returns home for its final regular-season homestand, where it will take on the No. 1-ranked Carleton Ravens on Friday, Feb. 14, at 6 p.m. at the ARC.