Box Score
Sometimes the greatest inspiration comes from the deepest desperation.
In the first half of Thursday's night's (Jan. 16) GLIAC game against Walsh, the Ashland University women's basketball team was colder than Saskatchewan under siege from the polar vortex. Through the game's first 20 minutes the Eagles shot 33.3 percent (10-of-30) from the field and trailed the Cavaliers, 30-26.
With 15:42 left to play in regulation, the Eagles were down by 12 points, 41-29. If the pep band had broken into Foreigner's "Cold As Ice," few would have found fault.
Yet in these trying times, help arrived from assorted sources. The Eagles regrouped and were iron clad down the stretch, winning 73-64.
Ashland is 8-5 overall and 6-3 in GLIAC play. The Eagles are in first place in the GLIAC South Division.
Guard Alyssa Miller, back from a hand injury after sitting for six games, had nine points, five rebounds, eight assists, three blocked shots and two steals.
Rookie guard Emma Hostetler came off the bench to score six points. She had two assists and two steals in 22 productive minutes. All of her points came after halftime.
Forward Suzy Wollenhaupt had 21 points, 17 in the second half. She also had seven rebounds.
Guard McKenzie Miller had the first double-double of her career with 13 points and 10 rebounds. She also had five assists.
Guard Taylor Woods had 18 points, 10 in the second half. Woods led all players in the game with four three-pointers. She also sustained a cut above the eye that incited the AU crowd, which barked with enthusiasm over the game's final 10 minutes.
Walsh is 5-10 and 1-8 in the conference, but the Cavs gave the Eagles all they wanted on this night. From the game's outset, the Cavs played aggressively. They had a 9-2 lead less than four minutes in and had that four-point spread at the break.
The Cavs maintained a double-digit lead throughout the first six minutes of the second half. Where the Eagles started to gain ground was with just under 10 minutes to play. With 8:33 left, a trey by Jalynn Graham gave Walsh its last lead of the night, 51-50. Woods hit a triple 20 seconds later to put Ashland ahead, 53-51.
The Eagles couldn't build more than a three-point lead until a three-pointer by McKenzie Miller with 4:02 to go gave AU a 60-56 lead. Walsh's Whitney Dabbelt misfired on a jumper and Alyssa Miller fed Wollenhaupt fed for a layup and a 62-56 advantage with 3:20 to go.
That started a streak of 12 consecutive points by Wollenhaupt. With 2:33 left Ashland led, 65-58. With 1:21 to go the Eagles were safely in front, 72-61.
In the second half AU shot 55.2 percent (16-of-29) from the floor and 45.5 percent (5-of-11) from three-point range. The Eagles were lethal from the line in both halves – they went 14-of-16 (87.5 percent). Ashland outscored Walsh, 47-34 in the second half.
Forward Tara Gallupe had 19 points and seven rebounds for Walsh. Kelsey Funderburgh had 13 points, five assists and five steals. Dabbelt had eight points and eight rebounds.
AU hosts Malone on Saturday (Jan. 18, 1 p.m.). Beginning play on Thursday, Malone was in second place in the GLIAC South.
AU
WBB/ALK
