No. 2 AU Women Pull Away From Yellow Jackets, Remain Unbeaten In League Play

Three-point field goals and assists were the order of the day on Saturday (Jan. 20) afternoon at the Sherrill Hudson Court at Kates Gymnasium, as the No. 2-ranked Ashland University women's basketball team topped Cedarville, 88-58.
 
The Eagles improve to 16-1 overall and 9-0 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference, while the Yellow Jackets are 5-10, 3-5.
 
"Every win in the G-MAC is a huge win," said Ashland assistant coach Jenna Kotas. "I'm glad, in the second half, we came out with that energy."
 
Ashland is riding an eight-game winning streak, and has won 53 of the last 54 games. Saturday's victory was the Eagles' 38^th consecutively in conference play, including tournaments.
 
With 18 made triples, AU tied the program record, which had been set three previous times. The Eagles also dished out 27 assists on 32 made field goals.
 
"Our 3-ball is part of our offense, and I'm glad we were able to hit today," Kotas said. "Every one of our kids, one through 15, can hit a 3, and today proved it."
 
Cedarville scored first, which was followed by eight straight Eagle points. The two teams stayed close to each other throughout the opening quarter, and once the game's first 10 minutes were completed, the score was knotted at 17.
 
The Yellow Jackets took leads of 19-17 and 22-20 early in the second quarter, then led 26-22 when the Eagles took a timeout. Down 32-26, Ashland started its comeback, and its 8-0 run resulted in a 34-32 lead – and a Cedarville timeout.
 
At the break, the Eagles sported a 44-36 lead – their biggest of the first half. Fifth-year forward Annie Roshak had 18 points, four rebounds and two assists, and included in her line was a career-high four triples in 17 minutes on the floor.
 
Cedarville started the second half with five straight points, but Ashland came back with five in a row of its own. And when grad guard Molly Dever made the Eagles' 12^th 3-pointer of the afternoon, AU had its biggest lead of the game at 55-43.
 
The Eagles took a 63-50 lead into the final 10 minutes. But Ashland pulled away one last time early in the fourth stanza, and when freshman guard Lexi Howe made AU's 16^th trey, it was a 76-54 advantage.
 
POST-GAME NUGGETS

• Roshak finished with 29 points and a career-high five triples, junior forward Zoe Miller followed with 15 points, Dever added 13 and Howe ended with 11.
• "Annie came out today ready to do whatever was needed to get the win," Kotas said. "I'm glad that Annie found her 3-ball today, because it was definitely needed."
• Junior forward Hayley Smith finished with 11 rebounds, giving her 61 caroms in the last six games.
• The Eagles hit 54.2 percent from the field and 58.1 percent from 3-point range, while keeping the Yellow Jackets to 39.0 percent from floor.
• Ashland topped Cedarville for the 10^th consecutive time, including five times as a member of the Great Midwest.
• The Eagles improve to 312-19 all-time as a ranked team in NCAA Division II, and it was their 60^th win (60-3) as the No. 2 team in the nation.

 
UP NEXT
Ashland will stay at home to take on Tiffin (4-14, 2-8) on Thursday (Jan. 25) at 5:30 p.m.