Box Score The Ashland University women's basketball team left the freeze box called the Midwest for the warmer climate of San Diego, but that didn't help the Eagles' shooting touch on Wednesday (Dec. 28) in a non-conference game against Assumption.
The New England school took a 31-25 halftime lead and went on to defeat Ashland, 64-48. The loss is the second straight for the Eagles (8-3) and the point total is a season low. Assumption won its seventh consecutive game and is 8-1. The game is part of the Surf and Slam Classic in San Diego.
AU shot 25.4 percent (15-of-59) from the floor and connected on just 3-of-16 (18.8 percent) three-point shots. Throughout the early part of this season the Eagles had been able to rely on their three-point shooting for consistent production. Through the season's first 10 games, AU was also strong on the boards. Assumption neutralized the Eagles there, too, outrebounding the Eagles, 47-35.
The Greyhounds took control of the game early in the second half. Ashland was outscored, 7-3 in the first 2:43 of the second half and trailed, 38-28 with 17:17 left in regulation. That margin was too large for the Eagles to overcome, especially when they couldn't score with any consistency.
Sophomore point guard Kaci Finfrock (West Milton, Ohio/Milton-Union) had 13 points and three steals. Sophomore forward-center Daiva Gerbec (Dublin, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) scored 13 points and had seven rebounds Senior guard Rachel Poorman (Zanesville, Ohio/Maysville) produced eight points and grabbed seven rebounds. She also had three steals.
Assumption's leading scorer was forward Kelly Meredith, who had 25 points. Meredith is the Northeast-10 Conference's leading scorer at 21.0 ppg. Senior forward Molly Griffiths pulled down 15 rebounds and had four steals. Griffiths entered the game averaging 8.3 rpg. The Greyhounds also received 18 points from sophomore forward Sabrina Siciliano.
Those three forwards - Meredith, Griffiths and Siciliano - helped Assumption roll up a 30-16 advantage in points in the paint. The Greyhounds lived up to their name by outscoring the Eagles, 10-0 in fastbreak points.
Ashland will return to the court on Thursday (Dec. 30) when it meets Mars Hill.
AU
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