The 2011-12 Ashland women’s basketball season has been one to remember. Currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, the team has won 26 straight games and shows no signs of slowing down. The Eagles reached their goal of winning the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament and will host Wisconsin-Parkside Monday in the NCAA Midwest Regional final.

These are games that should be savored and remembered by everyone in the Ashland community. Remember the great plays. Remember the high fives. Remember the milestones. Most of all, savor the moments that make this team so much fun to watch.

As I got up to leave Saturday’s press conference following Ashland’s 71-69 defeat of Quincy in the NCAA Midwest Regional semifinals, sports writer Don O’Brien from the Quincy Herald-Whig turned and asked a question to Ashland Times-Gazette Sports Editor Dough Haidet and I.

“Are they always that faith-based?” O’Brien said.

It was a simple question with a simple answer. Ashland head coach Sue Ramsey and her team put God at the center of everything that they do, on and off the court. Just like every other game, they were quick to give all of the thanks and praise to Him Saturday night.

Junior forward Kari Daugherty was especially emotional. She transferred to Ashland from Division I Dayton last fall, citing her faith as the reason for the move. She felt like Ramsey’s program was the perfect place to get closer to God and her family (she is from Coshocton). She was also able to add her immense basketball talents to an already skilled team.

Half a year and 30 straight wins later, she sat at the press table and gave God the glory for a performance that will be talked about in Ashland as long as the Eagles are still playing women’s basketball. She had 28 points, 22 rebounds, five assists and two steals. She scored 20 points in the second half, including 11 in a three minute stretch. Her 22 rebounds matched an NCAA tournament record.

“I had the most real moment when I was on the court,” Daugherty said, fighting back tears. “I came here for my faith, and the last little bit of that game, God was just talking to me the whole time. It was surreal. I’ve never had something like that happen to me before.

“He was just, ‘Kari, it’s ok, you’re going to be fine. You’re going to start hitting these shots; I’m not going to leave you.’ I’ve never felt so loved in my entire life. I knew it was going to be ok. I knew our team was going to get through it, and at that point He was really giving me strength to push through.”