Box Score Astronomers can talk intelligently about shooting stars. Sometimes, so can basketball coaches.
Ashland University women's basketball coach Sue Ramsey probably doesn't have much interest in any constellation, but she does give a great deal of attention to another kind of shooting stars. The kind Ramsey is concerned with have more lasting power than those streaks of light that shoot across the sky.
Ramsey's first example would be junior guard Jena Stutzman (Berlin, Ohio/Kent State), who in her first game at Ashland, scored 22 points Saturday (Nov. 13) as the Eagles opened the season with an 80-66 victory at Mercyhurst. This was the opening game of the season for both teams.
Another member of the AU backcourt who should have some lasting power, senior Rachel Poorman (Zanesville, Ohio/Maysville), scored 19 points and dished out nine assists. Sophomore center Daiva Gerbec (Dublin, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) scored 10 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Lindsay Tenyak (Wadsworth, Ohio) had 11 points.
At halftime, AU was in front, 34-30. In the second half, the Eagles shot 58.6 percent (17-of-29) from the floor and 50 percent (6-of-12) from three-point range. For the game, AU was at 50.8 percent (30-of-59) from the field and 50 percent (10-of-20) from three-point distance.
Stutzman came to Ashland from Kent State with the reputation of being a dangerous scoring threat on the perimeter. She went 4-for-7 on three-point attempts against the Lakers. Tenyak was 3-for-5 from that distance and sophomore point guard Kaci Finfrock (West Milton, Ohio/Milton-Union) was 3-for-7.
The momentum in this game turned in AU's favor early in the second half. After a layup by MC's Megan Hoffman left the Eagles with a 34-32 lead with 18:28 left in the second half, the Eagles went on a 13-2 surge over the next 3:09. That run gave the visitors a 47-34 lead with 15:19 left in regulation. Stutzman had five points and Poorman and Gerbec had four points each in that stretch.
Ashland led by as many as 22 points in the second half.
MC's Amy Achesinski led all players in the game with 24 points. Hoffman had 20 points and Samantha Loadman had 14 points. Achesinski had eight rebounds and Hoffman retrieved seven missed shots. AU outrebounded the Lakers, 37-31.
The Eagles will make their home debut on Tuesday (Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m.) when they host Central State.
AU
WBB/ALK
