Women’s hoops surrenders lead

Ashland wins in final second

Jeff Buck
Staff Writer

No lead is ever safe.

Wayne State found that out the hard way Saturday at the Matthaei Center, falling 70-67 to Ashland.

With 15 seconds remaining, Brooke Bowers drove to the basket and missed a lay-up. Betsy Morrison grabbed the rebound and pushed the ball up the court to Amber Rall, who, with nine-tenths of a second remaining, sank a three-pointer that gave the Eagles their first and only lead of the night.

The Warriors, who need one win to clinch a GLIAC Tournament berth, came out firing. WSU began the game with a Joy Nash jumper off a Ralphanee Peyton steal. WSU started on a 10-0 run and led by as many as 16 in the first half.

Chastidy Miller sank a 3-pointer to extend the WSU lead to 12, but Lindsey Gaut answered back and cut the lead back to nine. WSU led, 36-27, at halftime.

The Warriors outrebounded Ashland 21-14 in the first half, including11 offensive boards. WSU committed only eight turnovers in the half to the Eagles’ 15.

Bowers came out of the locker room shooting, sinking three three-pointers within two minutes, building the Warriors’ lead up to 13.

But the Eagles were not fazed, putting together an offensive surge that couldn’t be stopped. Ashland went on a 12-0 run to bring them within one point with ten minutes to play.

A lay-up by Peyton ended the Eagles’ run and provided momentum for the Warriors to build on their lead. WSU went up by as many as seven before Ashland made its final attempt to take back the game.

With 2:27 left in the game Catherine Portyrata converted on a lay-up to start a run that brought her team again to within one point.

Bowers and Rogers led Wayne State with 14 points apiece. Bowers was 4-for-5 from downtown in 21 minutes. Rogers led the team in rebounds, grabbing 10, with six of them on the offensive side.

Nash had 13 points (5-for-7) in 17 minutes.

Rall led all scorers with 22 points (4-of-12 shooting) and went 13-of-15 from the charity stripe.

The South End, February 6, 2007