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 Bethany Mesko had a game-high 17 points in the win over Hillsdale. |
Dec. 9, 2006
DETROIT - The Wayne State University women's basketball squad (3-4 overall, 2-1 GLIAC) moved into second place in the GLIAC South Division with an 85-67 triumph over visiting Hillsdale College (5-2 overall, 1-2 GLIAC) Saturday afternoon at the Matthaei.
The contest did not start out well for the Warriors as HC's Nikki Wustman scored the first four points of the game. Sophomore Chastidy Miller (White Lake, Mich./Waterford Kettering) made it a 4-2 match with a lay-up at the 17:40 mark. Classmate Joy Nash (Muskegon, Mich.) hit a fast break jumper at 16:30 to knot the game at four.
Neither team had more than a two point advantage until WSU scored five straight for a 13-9 lead at 13:18. Freshman Brooke Bowers (Delphos, Ohio/Jefferson) drained a triple and senior Cherita Smith (Grand Rapids, Mich./Union) followed with a jumper.
After a lay-up by Charger Lauren Fewins, the Warriors scored six straight points for a 19-11 lead, the first four points of the run coming from senior Bethany Mesko (Traverse City, Mich./Central). Wayne State kept scoring and held a 31-21 advantage at the 3:43 mark following another triple by Bowers.
Hillsdale went on an 8-1 run, but junior Brittany White (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) nailed a shot from beyond the arc in the final 10 seconds of the first half for a 35-29 Warrior lead.
Wayne State had an 11-point advantage at 42-31 at the 17:40 mark of the second half following a lay-up by junior Bethany Jury (Plymouth, Mich./Livonia Ladywood). The Chargers responded with an 8-0 run before a lay-up by Mesko made it a 44-39 contest. HC tied the game at 44 on a triple by Jodie Haines at 13:04. The match was again tied at 52 after a free throw by HC's Katie Eckinger.
WSU scored the next six points on a free throw by junior Nicole Rogers (Lansing, Mich./Everett), a three-pointer by Bowers and two foul shots by Miller. After a jumper by Hillsdale's Yvonne Hamood made it a 58-54 WSU lead, the Warriors scored six for a 10 point lead.
Wayne State's advantage was never less than eight points the rest of the game as the Warriors converted 10 of its final 12 free throw attempts over the final 3:27.
Mesko had a game-high 17 points along with tying Rogers for team-high in rebounds with eight. Rogers scored 15 points as six different WSU players reached double figures.
The Warriors are idle until playing at Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday, Dec. 16.
