Second-Half Flurry Downs 'Dons in Opener

Tuesday, November 8

Fort Wayne, Ind.

7:00 p.m.

Purdue Fort Wayne

Ashland (Exhibition)

Photo by: Lucas Carter

11/8/2011 9:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball

BOX SCORE

FORT WAYNE, Ind. - Despite seven players with eight or more points, including five in double figures, IPFW dropped its exhibition opener to Ashland on Tuesday evening, behind a 47-point second half by the Eagles, by a 79-74 final score.

Anne Boese scored a team-high 14 points, making 4-of-9 from long range, while Amanda Hyde scored 12, including five points in the final 14 seconds. Hillary Moore, in her first action in an IPFW uniform, scored 11 points, while twins Stefanie and Rachel Mauk each scored 10 in their Mastodon debut. Erin Murphy and Sarah Haluska narrowly missed double figures with nine and eight points, respectively.

Haluska, Moore, and Stefanie Mauk each pulled down six rebounds, while Hyde and Rachel Mauk dished out five and four assists apiece.

The teams fought back-and-forth early, going through six tie scores through the first 11 minutes, but with the teams tied at 17 all with 9:03 to play in the first half, IPFW embarked on a 13-3 run to lead by 10 just over four minutes later.

Trailing by double-digits for the first time in the game, Ashland rattled off four straight possessions with a made three-point basket to tie the game at 32 apiece; however, IPFW closed with a run of its own, scoring the final eight points of the half, sending the Mastodons into the locker room ahead by eight at 40-32.

A Moore basket to open the half pushed the lead to double-digits once again, and IPFW would hold onto its lead until Ashley Dorner scored two of her 17 points with 13:28 remaining in the game to give the visitors a one-point, 51-50 lead.

The score would remain close throughout, with the Mastodons taking its final lead of the game with 5:09 to play when Stefanie Mauk drained a three-point basket, giving the hosts a 65-64 lead. An 11-3 run by the Eagles followed, giving the visitors a seven-point advantage with under a minute to play in the contest.

The Mastodons would not go quietly, as a Rachel Mauk free throw, and a lay-up by Hyde cut the deficit to four. After a pair of Ashland free throws, Hyde hit a deep three-point basket with four seconds to play, but the Mastodons could not force a turnover, and the Eagles' Kari Daugherty calmly sank a pair of charity stripe attempts, to secure her team's victory.

Daugherty scored a game-high 26 points while pulling down 17 rebounds and dishing out five assists. Dorner added 17 points, while Lindsay Tenyak scored 14.

The Mastodons open its regular season on Friday, November 11, when the team travels to the Queen City to face off against the Cincinnati Bearcats with a 7 p.m. tip-off.

~Dons~