Wire-to-Wire Win Gives Lady Statesmen First-Round Home Game
William Penn Women's Athletics
Oskaloosa–It took the William Penn women’s basketball team ten seasons to host a Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament game, but with its 74-58 win over AIB Wednesday, the ever-improving program has now accomplished the feat two years in a row.
The Lady Statesmen (11-17, 9-8 MCC), who own an 11-10 record since a horrific 0-7 start, locked up the first-round contest as Viterbo fell to St. Ambrose. That puts the V-Hawks and Queen Bees, who were both swept by the navy and gold, one game back in the standings with just one game left.
So no matter the outcome of Saturday’s William Penn-Ashford contest in Clinton (1 p.m. tip-off), the Lady Statesmen will be in Penn Gymnasium Wednesday night to host either Viterbo or St. Ambrose in the 4/5 game.
The home team was tied just once with AIB (12-17, 5-12 MCC) at 2-2, but led the entire remainder of the evening.
William Penn held a 38-30 halftime edge and expanded the margin to as much as 18 points late.
The Eagles outshot the Lady Statesmen 38.7%-34.8%, but the hosts were opportunistic at the charity stripe with a 17-6 advantage in made shots (WPU was 17-of-23, AIB was 6-of-10).
A 49-39 rebounding nod only gave William Penn four more points (11-7) on second chances, while a 14-17 lift in turnovers resulted in a 10-9 difference in points off mistakes for the navy and gold.
Katie Golomski (Fr., Milwaukee, Wis., Pius Xi HS) had an off-night shooting (4-of-17), but still paced her team with 16 points (6-of-6 FT).
Taylor Reed (Jr., Kalamazoo, Mich., Kalamazoo Valley CC) recorded her third double-double of the campaign with 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Sam Abens (Jr., Knoxville, Southwest Minnesota State) started hot with a trio of trifectas and finished with 13 points.
Vanessa Kieres (Fr., Chicago, Ill., Regina Dominican HS) added eight points and the trio of Sarah Martin (Jr., Anthem, Ariz., Boulder Creek HS), Megan Evangelista (So., Chanhassen, Minn., Chaska HS), and Janay Pritchett (Fr., Cedar Rapids, Washington HS) all tallied six points.
Martin assisted on six baskets and tied Abens with two steals as well.
