Overtime seems to suit the Queen’s Golden Gaels.

The Gaels haven’t lost an overtime game since 2011, and Saturday afternoon they made it four in a row in extra time, when they defeated the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 85-78 in double overtime in an Ontario University Athletics women’s basketball quarter-final in Waterloo.

"Our team loves overtime," Gaels coach Dave Wilson said. "Our kids have never lost in overtime, so they were very confident heading in, and almost even more (confident) heading into the second overtime. It was a very calm feeling on our bench." 

Queen’s was the only team to stage a quarter-final upset. Laurier, 17-3 in the regular year, began the playoffs as the second seed in Ontario and the No. 6-ranked team in Canada. The Gaels, seeded seventh, will join McMaster, Ryerson and Windsor in the conference tournament next weekend in Windsor.

To gain the victory Saturday, the Gaels overcame a 14-point third-quarter deficit, 49-35, with a 20-2 run that sent Queen’s into the final period with a four-point lead. Jenny Wright scored seven points in that spree, and Gemma Bullard hit back-to-back threes, giving Queen's the lead at 52-51.

The score was tied, 59-59, with five and a half minutes to play. From that point, the lead changed hands three times and there was another tie, and the Hawks led 67-64 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

Abby Dixon made one free throw with 61 seconds left to tie the game, but she missed the second that would have put Queen’s in the lead. From there to the end of regulation time, the Gaels turned the ball over twice, but Laurier missed two shots and the teams went into a five-minute extra period tied 67-67.

Each team had the lead in that period, and a basket by Bullard put the Gaels up 74-73 with 41 seconds left, but again Laurier was betrayed by its shooting, as Whitney Ellenor, with two free throws, made just one with 8.2 seconds left and Kaitlyn Schenk missed a shot at the buzzer that would have given the Hawks the win.

The second overtime, however, belonged to the Gaels, as Queen’s outscored the home team 11-4. The visitors scored the first eight points of the period, six of them by Emily Hazlett. The Gaels were sent to the foul line three times in the final 30 seconds, and they kept the Hawks at bay by making three of six free shots.

Laurier led 36-31 at halftime.

Wright led Queen’s with 24 points, while Robyn Pearson had 12 points and 12 rebounds. Liz Boag and Bullard each also had 12 points for the Gaels.

Ellenor had 21 points and 12 rebounds in her final intercollegiate game for Laurier. Samantha Jacobs had 14 points for the Hawks and Courtney Bruce came off the bench to score 11, including nine via three three-point baskets.