Undefeated Eagles take down Lake Erie Storm, 81-44

The Eagles, led by a 14 point performance from Hayley Smith, improved to 23-0 on the season

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Avery Rosso

Eagle transfer guard Maddie Maloney lines up to take free throws after drawing a foul.

Cade Cracas, Sports & Digital Editor

The Ashland University women’s basketball team remained undefeated after taking down the Lake Erie College Storm on Saturday, 81-44. With the victory, the Eagles protected their home floor at Kates Gymnasium.

Coming into the contest against the Storm, the Eagles were riding high on the momentum established against the Hillsdale Chargers during Thursday’s win.

Against Hillsdale on Thursday, the offense continued their consistent efforts in the scoring margin as they outscored their opponents by 34 points. Against the Storm on Saturday, they grew that margin by three more points beating them 81-44 for a 37-point margin.

In the first quarter, the Eagles outscored the Storm 28-12 while knocking down practically every shot they took.

In the second quarter, the Storm were able to hold the Eagles to a two-minute scoreless streak while they continued to put up efforts to draw the game closer. Although that scoreless streak was stopped, the deficit was dwindled down to eight, making the score 32-24.

As halftime approached the Eagles countered and went on a 15-7 run to go into halftime up by 16 points.

Right before halftime, transfer guard Savaya Brockington scored 1,000 career points off a wide-open three-point shot. After making it, the crowd in Kates Gymnasium uproared with banners and posters with “1,000” written on them. She formerly played at Purdue Northwest before joining Ashland this past off-season.

In the second half, both teams stalled out offensively with the Storm scoring just 4 points in the third quarter while the Eagles scored 14. At one point, the Storm were on a seven-minute scoreless streak, while the Eagles were close by with a five-minute scoreless streak.

In the fourth quarter, the Eagles once again outscored the Storm 20-9, securing the big win.

Sophomore forward Hayley Smith scored 14 points while hauling in three rebounds. Alongside Smith, Brockington and forward Zoe Miller recorded 13 points a piece. Brockington would also go 4 of 5 from beyond the arc in her 1,000 career point contest.

The Eagles will next go back on the road to face the Ursuline Arrows on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 5:30 P.M.