So far, the 2013-14 season of Ashland women’s basketball has been a learning experience. Just as the fans have had to learn about the new players on the team, those players have had to learn about each other and how to adjust to the college game.

At times, that adjustment has come blindingly quick. Head coach Sue Ramsey’s team has shown flashes of the trademark style of Ashland basketball that has made her past teams so successful – no small feat with four freshmen seeing over 10 minutes per game. 

At other times, however, it is easy to see the frustration etched on Ramsey’s face as the team struggles to figure things out. There were plenty of those learning moments last week as the Eagles (8-6, 6-4 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) split their opening two games against the GLIAC South.

Ashland closed out a crucial win over Walsh after trailing at halftime Thursday, but a 17-point loss to Malone on Saturday was the worst home defeat for the program in almost four years.

“It’s an educational process, I’ve said that all along with so many new to the program,” Ramsey said. “They understand a little bit more after (Saturday) what the GLIAC South is all about.”

Walsh

In senior guard Alyssa Miller’s first game back after sitting out the previous six due to injury, the Eagles got a much-needed 73-64 win over Walsh to stay atop the GLIAC South standings.

Ashland struggled to get things going in the first half offensively, shooting just 33 percent from the field. The Cavaliers (5-10, 1-8) took advantage and jumped out to a 9-2 lead. 

Walsh only surrendered the lead once in the first half on a 3-pointer by AU junior guard Taylor Woods that made it 26-25 with 2:18 left, but gained it right back and went into halftime with a 30-26 advantage.

The Cavaliers continued to stick with Ashland deep into the second half, but the play of freshman forward Suzy Wollenhaupt helped turn the tide.

With the Eagles up 53-52 with 7:18 to play, Wollenhaupt scored 16 of Ashland’s final 20 points to secure the win, a run that included two old-fashioned 3-point plays and flawless 6 of 6 field goal shooting and 4 of 4 free throw shooting.

She finished with 21 points, seven rebounds and two blocks on 8 of 13 shooting from the field. 

Adding to the equation were Woods and sophomore guard McKenzie Miller. The marksman Woods had 18 points on 4 of 8 3-point shooting and Miller added a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.  

Alyssa Miller showed a little bit of rust in her first game back but still found ways to contribute. She had nine points on 1 of 4 shooting from the field and 7 of 8 at the foul line, eight assists, five rebounds and three blocks.

For Walsh, Tara Gallupe had 19 points and seven rebounds and Kelsey Funderburgh added 13.

Malone

Even though Kates Gymnasium provided fans refuge from the wintry chill outside, the Eagles were icy cold inside its confines. Shooting woes spelled doom against a confident Malone squad that completed an impressive 70-53 drubbing to climb even with Ashland in the GLIAC South.

“It wasn’t one person,” Ramsey said. “Once it started it was just like a snowball rolling downhill. I don’t know if it was our confidence or what, but we had good looks and the ball didn’t go in the basket.”

AU started the game just 1-for-8 from the field, and a McKenzie Miller with 12:49 left in the first half ended an 11-0 run that saw the Pioneers advantage climb to 18-4.

The Eagles used a 6-0 spurt to push it back to single digits, but then went cold again. When a floater by freshman guard Rachelle Morrison went in to make it 22-12 with 7:32 to go in the first period, it had been 4:47 since the team’s previous made field goal.

At halftime, Malone led 32-20, with AU shooting 23 percent (8 of 35) from the field, missing all nine attempts from 3-point range.

It felt like a run had to be on its way, and it finally came with the Eagles trailing 46-24. A 14-4 spurt over nearly five minutes pulled AU back within 10 at 50-40 with 7:23 to play. 

The run was keyed by seven points from Woods, who was held scoreless in the first half.

“I thought (Woods) had more open looks than she has had in a long time,” Ramsey said. “They were there.”

Ashland cut it to 10 again two minutes later, but two 3-pointers from Malone’s Deborah Simmers (18 points) put the brakes on any hopes of a comeback.

“Those were tough,” Ramsey said. “They executed what they needed to do and hats off to them.”

For the game, AU shot just 29 percent (19 of 65) from the field and was just 1 of 15 from deep. 

Wollenhaupt led the Eagles with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Woods and freshman guard Kelsey Peare each had 11, and McKenzie Miller added six points and 10 rebounds.

For the Pioneers, Selana Reale matched Simmers’ total with 18 points.

The loss was Ashland’s worst at home since a 71-50 loss to Findlay on Feb. 25, 2010.

“We’ve got some things to work on,” Ramsey said. “Getting Alyssa (Miller) back into flow of things is one of those. You’ve just got to try to heighten everyone’s awareness of what the GLIAC is all about.