Box Score Ashland University's women's basketball team has enjoyed playing in the state of Michigan – for the most part – since the turn of the decade.
That continued on Sunday (Jan. 3) afternoon in Sault Ste. Marie, as the No. 11-ranked Eagles improved to 12-0 overall and 6-0 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference following a 77-47 win at Lake Superior State (3-9, 2-4). AU has sole possession of first place in the GLIAC South Division, and is the only GLIAC team undefeated in conference play.
Ashland began the day as one of seven undefeated Division II women's basketball teams, and ended it the same way.
Since the start of the 2010-11 season, the Eagles are 28-9 (.757) in the Wolverine State. Ashland has won all four of its games in Michigan in 2015-16.
The victory also ties AU head coach Robyn Fralick with Beth Conway (1981-82) for the best start to an Eagle women's basketball head coaching career. The 12-0 beginning also is tied for the second-best start in program history.
For the second consecutive day, the Eagles were paced in the score column by their three sophomore forwards. Laina Snyder led the way with 18 points while adding a game-high eight rebounds, Julie Worley came off the bench for 13 points and five rebounds in 12 minutes and Andi Daugherty added 12 points, four boards and four assists.
Ashland recorded 28 assists on 31 made field goals, paced by senior guard McKenzie Miller's seven and junior guard Alex Henning's five.
The Eagles were 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, and had a 43-29 rebounding advantage. AU held the Lakers to 34.0-percent shooting from the field, and forced 19 turnovers which resulted in 20 points.
The game was tied at 11 in the first quarter, but a 9-2 run to end the period gave Ashland a 20-13 advantage. The Eagles led 33-22 late in the first half, and took a 38-25 lead into the break.
Ashland yielded just nine points in the third quarter, took a 54-34 lead into the final period and didn't look back.
The Eagles will return home to begin a three-game homestand on Thursday (Jan. 7) at 5:30 p.m. against Northern Michigan. That will be Church Night at Kates Gymnasium.
EAGLE NUGGETS: Since the start of the 2010-11 season, Ashland is 113 games above .500 (144-31, .823)…Worley scored 25 points in 27 minutes in two games over the weekend…Snyder, Daugherty and Worley have led or co-led Ashland in rebounds in a game in all 46 of their contests as Eagles.
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