Box Score In some places, the pack mentality is frowned upon.
At Ashland University right now, it's a way of life.
With junior guard Jena Stutzman (Berlin, Ohio/Kent State) out with a leg injury, the Eagles need every able body on the roster to produce. It's not so much having someone stand out as it is having everyone stand up and be counted. The Eagles got that Thursday night (Feb. 3) at Kates Gymnasium with a down-to-the-wire, 75-70 win over Ohio Dominican.
When she went out of the lineup last Saturday, Stutzman was the GLIAC's second-leading scorer at over 16 points per game. She was Ashland's best long-distance shooter and in the last few weeks, had become the point guard in the closing minutes of games.
To make up for all of those attributes, the Eagles (13-6/8-4 GLIAC) turned in a balanced team effort against ODU. Seven players scored six points or more and four reached double figures. AU outrebounded the Panthers (5-14/3-10 GLIAC), 37-34 with nine players collecting at least two rebounds each. The Eagles got 13 points from the bench, 11 in the first half when they shot out to a 35-27 lead.
Life would have been easier if the Eagles would have been able to extend that eight-point halftime margin. But the Panthers used some nifty shooting to climb back into this game. Over the last 20 minutes, they shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from the floor and 44.4 percent (4-of-9) from three-point range. They did that with an effective inside-outside attack.
The Eagles led, 68-60 with 4:45 to play. Then ODU's Abby Glover went on a scoring binge that saw her score six of the Panthers' next eight points and with 2:21 left, it was Ashland in front, 70-68. Then the Eagles missed a layup and Summer Hale buried a jumper and the game was tied for the fifth time, 70-70 with 1:01 to play.
Ashland took the lead for keeps, 72-70 on a jumper in the key by freshman point guard Alyssa Miller (Zanesville, Ohio/Tri-Valley). Miller has built her reputation this year on her defense and playmaking ability, not her ability to drain jumpers. Yet in this game, she hit 6-of-9 field goal tries for 13 points. That tied her season high. She also had five assists and a pair of steals.
After that Miller bucket, the Panthers missed a pair of shots before AU forward Beth Mantkowski (Fairlawn, Ohio/Copley) secured the rebound. Mantkowski was fouled and could have put the game away with a pair of free throws. She missed the first and made the second for a 73-70 lead. ODU brought the ball up the court and before the Panthers could get off a three-point field goal try, AU guard Rachel Poorman (Zanesville, Ohio/Maysville) fouled guard Melissa Hersey. Hersey missed her free throw, AU got the rebound and moments later the result was in the scorebook.
Once again the Eagles got a quality performance from sophomore forward-center Daiva Gerbec (Dublin, Ohio/Bishop Watterson), who had 16 points, 15 rebounds and two rejections. Gerbec has 11 double-doubles this season. This was her seventh consecutive double play. Mantkowski scored 16 points. She started the night averaging 6.3 ppg., but over the last three games, has averaged 14.0 ppg. Mantkowski also had five rebounds and three blocked shots.
Poorman rounded out AU's quartet of double-scorers. The senior had 10 points.
Glover led ODU with 13 points and Hale had 12 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Guard Meredith Fox added 11 points.
The Eagles will play at Tiffin on Saturday (Feb. 5, 3 p.m.).
AU
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