Box Score The Ashland University women's basketball team came out and dominated on the road.
Down south in Cedarville, Ohio, from the Callan Athletic Center, the Eagles secured a bounce-back win, 59-56, following last week's loss to the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers. The win was spotlighted by numerous players helping contribute to the team's success, with forward Jenna Slates leading the charge with a 15-point, 10-rebound performance.
To open the game up, the Eagles avoided early mistakes, setting the bar high for what the Yellow Jackets would have to do to keep the game close.
Forwards Slates and Kyra Hill controlled the paint and fought their way to the free-throw line, combining for eight points and six rebounds in the opening quarter. As a team, the Eagles out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets 12-5 and out-assisted them as well, 5-2.
Heading into the second quarter, the Eagles held a 15-8 advantage, and just had to replicate their first-quarter efforts to keep control.
Fortunately, they'd do just that and head into halftime on top, 34-28. Leading the team, however, was guard Gia Casalinova, who surged the team forward in the second with eight points on 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 from deep. She also dished off one assist.
In the third quarter, again, various Eagles were able to keep the lead intact. The quarter opened with four points from Hill, followed by a three ball from guard Alysa Lopez and two layups from Slates, pushing the Eagles' lead ahead, 45-38, heading into the fourth frame.
Immediately, things got dicey between the two teams.
Back and forth they went with baskets, knowing the game was on the line, as with 6:11 to go, the Yellow Jackets were within one, 48-47. But Casalinova yet again rose to the occasion, knocking down a three to separate the two teams.
As the game approached its conclusion, they continued to trade baskets back and forth, but a dead spell from the 2:44 mark down to 24 seconds left put the game hanging in a balance. The scoreline stood, 57-56, after a late basket from Yellow Jackets guard Emma Kay Martin broke the silence.
Then, free throws as the game concluded were the difference maker as Ashland was able to use them to pull ahead, 59-56.
As a team, the Eagles shot 46.0% from the field and out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets, 37-32. They also dominated the paint, securing six total blocks.
Alongside the stellar performance of Slates, the Eagles also received contributions from numerous other players, including guard Ashley Mullet, Casalinova and Lopez, who all finished in double figures.
Moving deeper into the back-half of the campaign, Ashland begins to turn the page towards the final four games of the regular season.
The next team on the Eagles' docket will be the Hillsdale Chargers. The two sides will clash from Kates Gymnasium on the campus of Ashland University on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 1:00 p.m EST. The outing will serve as the program's senior night, celebrating those who have helped lead the team during their time sporting the purple and gold.
