Statesmen Struggle Offensively in Loss to Hastings

William Penn University Athletics

by Wade Steinlage

Crete, Neb.–It was an afternoon the William Penn women’s basketball team will hope to quickly forget as the Statesmen fell 56-22 to Hastings (Neb.) in the conclusion of the Doane Classic Saturday.

WPU (3-2) had its three-game winning streak snapped in a painful way as the offense was stymied against the 20th-ranked program in NAIA Division II.

The Statesmen, who shot just 20.6% from the floor, scored the first point of the contest, but then witnessed the Broncos (2-0) tally the next 11 and hold a 14-3 edge after the opening period.

Both sides had issues in the second quarter as HC only outscored WPU 6-4; William Penn played strong defense as well by limiting its foe to 37.3% and forcing 26 turnovers. Unfortunately, 41 turnovers doomed the team in its bid to extend its winning streak.

The third stanza was the only one in which WPU broke double digits by scoring 11 points, but the Broncos also had their best 10 minutes with 25 points. The fourth quarter unfortunately was just a formality with HC owning an 11-4 scoring edge.

Vashti Nwagbaraocha (Jr., Milwaukee, Wis., Exercise Science) guided her crew with five points, while Kate Ylitalo (So., Maple Plain, Minn., Biology) hit William Penn’s only three-pointer for her three points. Brynesha Mosby (Jr., Belleville, Ill., Biology) matched Ylitalo with three points, while Sham Troupe (Jr., St. Louis, Mo.) tallied three of WPU’s 10 steals.

RaChelle Parks (Jr., Grand Junction, Tenn., Computer Science) also blocked a pair of shots Saturday.

The Statesmen were outrebounded 35-26 with Juatece McNear (Jr., Joliet, Ill., Biology) pulling down a squad-high five rebounds.

Next Up: William Penn returns to Oskaloosa next Tuesday to host Haskell Indian Nations (Kan.) in non-conference action at 5:30 p.m.