Scots Come Up Short at Kenyon

Maria Gonzalez led Wooster with 11 points, but the Scots dropped their first conference game to Kenyon.

Despite holding Kenyon College to just 25.8 percent shooting from the floor and holding a six-point edge at halftime, The College of Wooster women's basketball team managed just five second half field goals, and bowed to the undefeated Ladies 50-45 in North Coast Athletic Conference action at Gambier, Ohio on Saturday (Dec. 4). With the loss, the Scots fall to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play on the young season, while Kenyon remains perfect at 5-0 overall and 2-0 in the NCAC.

The Ladies opened the scoring in the first 10 seconds of the game as Katy Zeanah nailed the jumper to give Kenyon the early 2-0 lead. Almost two minutes would go by before the game's next score, which came on a jumper by senior Alexis Louttit (Lodi, Ohio / West Holmes), netting the score at 2-2. Kenyon pushed the lead to 6-2, its largest lead of the first half, with back-to-back field goals by Allison LeBar, but the Scots went on an 8-0 scoring run to regain the lead, which they retained for the remainder of the first half.

Wooster pushed the lead to as many as five in the first stanza, but each time the Ladies battled back led by Zeanah. Kenyon made just nine field goals in the first half, shooting 28.1 percent (9-32) from the field and converting on just 1-of-8 3-point attempts. Zeanah was the lone bright spot for the Ladies, as the junior converted on 50 percent of her shots (5-10) for 11 points, including netting her only free throw and the last field goal of the half for Kenyon to tie the score at 21 and 23, respectively. With two minutes remaining, the Scots went on a 6-0 run capped off by a jumper by junior Michelle Hall (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) with three seconds left to give them their largest lead of the day (29-23) heading into the second half.

In the second period, the Scots managed just five total field goals en route to shooting 18.5 percent (5-27) as Kenyon sprung back with a 12-0 run. The Scots fell behind 30-29 on Anne Dugan's only made field goal of the day, a 3-pointer with 13:03 left, and another 3-pointer by Megan Sheasby and a jumper by Hilary Gowins capped the Ladies' run and put Kenyon up 35-29 with just 10 minutes left in the game.

The Scots refused to give up, holding Kenyon to just two field goals in the remaining time. Kenyon pushed the lead to nine (40-31) with 7:29 remaining for the largest lead of the day by either team, but Wooster pulled to within four (44-40) on a jumper by Carly Loehrke (Kalamazoo, Mich. / Mattawan) at 3:41 followed a minute later by a free throw by Louttit.

With under a minute to go, Kenyon clung to a five-point lead (45-40) after a made free throw. Sophomore Maria Gonzalez (Millersburg, Ohio / West Holmes) nailed the jumper for two of her team-high 11 points on the day to pull the Scots within three with 41 seconds left. Wooster was forced to foul and the Ladies converted three free throws to push the lead back up to six, while the Scots committed a costly turnover and missed a 3-point attempt on its next two possessions.

With under 10 seconds to go, Gonzalez hit the shot from beyond the arc to bring the Scots back within three (48-45), but Kenyon converted on two of its next four free throws as time ran out for Wooster.

For the second straight game, Wooster won the rebounding battle, caroming 50 to Kenyon's 48. Natalie Barone (Akron, Ohio / St. Thomas Aquinas) and Loehrke led the way with 10 rebounds a piece, while Louttit grabbed nine. Gonzalez converted 4-of-10 shots to lead the scoring attack, while Loehrke chipped in with eight points and two blocks. Sophomore Beth Besancon (Wooser, Ohio / Smithville) and Louttit each added seven points.

Zeanah led the Ladies with 19 points on 8-of15 shooting as well as 13 rebounds, six blocks, and four steals in 38 minutes of action. LeBar contributed 11 rebounds, while Lindsay Madaras and Gowins each finished with seven points.

Wooster will take a break from conference play with a non-league match up with Westminster College at home. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at Timken Gymnasium.