On Thursday (Dec. 11) night in Kentucky, Ashland University's women's basketball team lost 84-72 to Kentucky Wesleyan in a Great Midwest Athletic Conference contest.
The Eagles (5-4 overall, 1-2 Great Midwest) scored the game's first five points, then, thanks in part to the first nine points of her Ashland career by graduate guard
Benedetta Dell'Orto (3-for-3 on 3-point field goals), AU led the Panthers 25-14 after the first 10 minutes.
In that first period, the Eagles made 6-of-9 triples.
Kentucky Wesleyan (5-3, 2-1) scored the first six points of the second stanza, and the remainder of the first half was tight. Once the two teams went to the locker room, Ashland led 36-33.
The Panthers took the lead at 41-39 early in the second half following a pair of free throws, then they extended that advantage to 46-42 with six minutes to go in the third quarter. Ashland returned serve, however, going on a 10-2 run to regain the lead heading into the third-period media stoppage.
Going into the fourth quarter, the Panthers led 61-58 – following a third stanza in which the two teams combined for 50 points. Then, just past halfway through the fourth, KWC's lead was a then-game-high 10 points at 74-64.
WRAPPING IT UP
- Graduate guard Jenna Badali scored a season-high 19 points, freshman forward Jenna Slates recorded her fifth consecutive double-double (13 points, 11 rebounds), and Dell'Orto finished her Eagle debut with a dozen points.
- Thursday night's game featured nine lead changes and seven tie scores.
COMING UP
Another Great Midwest road game vs. Thomas More (6-1, 1-1) at 1 p.m. on Saturday (Dec. 13).
