INDEPENDENT STAFF

Elmira’s Katie Harnock and the Canadian Women’s Wheelchair Basketball Team lost their quarterfinal match to the USA 67-55 on Tuesday.  Canada stormed out to an 11-point lead in the first quarter (21-10), but with the USA applying full court pressure throughout the game, they were unable hang on to the lead.  The Americans took control of the game in the third quarter when Canada got into foul trouble.

“Their press got to us,” said Team Canada head coach Bill Johnson. “That happened tonight in the third quarter. That is when you rely on your teammates and by the time we did it was too late.”

The Canucks were outscored 16-8 and 22-14 in the final two frames. Janet McLachlan, of Vancouver, BC was the game’s top producer and rebounder with 31 points and 13 boards, while Quebec City’s Cindy Ouellet added 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists in the loss.

Harnock scored two points in the match, and also netted four assists.

Earlier in the week, the Elmira native had a career-best match against Great Britain, with 20 points and six rebounds. Canada defeated Great Britain with a score of 67-50, and came into the quarter-finals with a 3-1 record.

Canada will play Mexico Thursday for a chance at fifth place. The loss ends Canada hopes of reaching the podium for the first time since they won bronze in 2004 (which followed a string of three consecutive gold medals in 1992, 1996, and 2000).

“It is tough to take. It is disappointing because we had plans for bigger things and it is not going to happen,” said Johnson.

“We will regroup and finish strong.”