KITCHENER, Ont. – The No. 2 nationally ranked Mohawk Mountaineers women's basketball team closed the first half of the 2025-26 season with its eighth straight victory Thursday, defeating the Conestoga Condors 81-38.

Mohawk heads into the break at 8-0, continuing to match the best start in program history, set in 1990-91. The Mountaineers' average margin of victory rose to 29.5 points.

Mohawk's defence set the tone early, holding the Condors to 12 first half points on 16.6 per cent shooting while forcing 17 turnovers.

Conestoga scored its first basket with 6:43 left in the opening quarter, then went scoreless the rest of the frame as Mohawk closed on a 12-0 run to lead 17-3.

The Mountaineers added a 17-1 run over the final six minutes of the second quarter to take a 28-point advantage into halftime.

Conestoga produced its most competitive stretch in the third, scoring 16 points, but the Condors couldn't slow Mohawk's offense. The Mountaineers led 59-28 after three.

Mohawk ended the game on an 8-0 run for its largest lead of the night at 43 points.

The Mountaineers shot 48.5 per cent from the field while holding Conestoga to 22.4 per cent. Mohawk forced 32 turnovers, converting them into 21 points, and scored 42 points in the paint.

Tiffany Williams (Hamilton, Ont.) led all scorers with 16 points and added nine rebounds. Maddie Anderson (Whitby, Ont.) came off the bench for 14 points, while Joanna Smith (Simcoe, Ont.) added 10. Vanessa Soffee (Fredericton, NB) filled the stat sheet with eight points, nine assists, five rebounds and six steals.

Mohawk returns to regular season play Jan. 10, hosting the Redeemer Royals at 1 p.m.