It was a 28 point third quarter that propelled the Ashland University women’s basketball team to their third straight win to open up the season as they defeated the Indianapolis Greyhounds (3-1), 88-66. 

The Eagles looked dominant from the beginning as they opened the game on a 9-0, capped off by a three-point play by Jodi Johnson.

The Greyhounds came roaring back and cut the AU lead to just 13-9. The Eagles continued to put pressure on the Greyhounds, but could not put them away. 

Early in the second quarter the Greyhounds threatened the Eagles as they closed the gap to 23-21. The Eagles put some separation between themselves and the Greyhounds after a 6-0 spurt that put the Eagles up 29-21, but they would not go away.

The Greyhounds once again cut the lead to just two points with just over five minutes to go in the first half. This is where the Eagles took over as they closed the half on a 13-4 run and never looked back. 

Ashland led 42-31 at the half and unloaded 28 points in quarter number three to pull away. 

The Eagles added another 18 points in the fourth quarter en route to the 88-66 win. 

It was the toughest game of the season so far for the Eagles as the Greyhounds hung in the game for the bulk of the first half, but in the end the Eagles had just too much talent across the board.

On the day that Laina Snyder was recognized for being the 18^th player in AU women’s basketball history to score 1,000 points in a career, she came to play.

Snyder was rolling on both ends of the floor as she poured in 29 points on 14 of 22 shooting and grabbed 14 rebounds. She paced the Eagles with 27 minutes played.

“Laina was phenomenal tonight in all areas of the game,” head coach Robyn Fralick said. “Scoring, rebounding, defending, loose balls, second shots, I mean she had a great effort and was extremely productive.”

Freshman, Jodi Johnson scored a career high 13 points for Eagles as coach Fralick continued to get her younger players involved.

Andi Daugherty did it all for the Eagles as she had eight points, five rebounds and six assists to go along with five steals.

 Julie Worley added in 14 points and five rebounds off the bench for the Eagles.

“We feel like a strength of this team is depth,” Fralick said. We have a lot of players who are capable of scoring, a lot of people who are capable of defending, that relieves a lot of pressure that you aren’t relying on one or two players.”

AU scored 52 of their 88 points in the paint as they continued their dominance of opponents inside. 

Ashland continued to move the ball well on offense as they had 26 assists in the contest.

“Yeah I think it says a lot,” Snyder said. “Last year we led the NCAA in assists per game, this year we’re doing a tremendous job at having assists, I think its just the system of ball we play and the type of teammates that we have.”

The Eagles forced 19 turnovers and turned them into 18 points. 

The Greyhounds were lead by Sydney Brackemyre who went toe-to-toe with Laina Snyder as she scored 26 points in just 20 minutes of action. 

The No. 5 Eagles will move to 3-1 on the season as they will have the week off before taking on Slippery Rock and Mercyhurst in the annual Holiday Inn Express Tournament next Saturday and Sunday.