COLUMBIA Mo. – The (RV) William Woods University women's basketball team jumps to 2-0 on the season, as the Owls defeated Brescia University 86-69 in its first game of the Columbia College Cougar Classic.
 
After a little bit of a slow start, going point for point with the Bearcats, the Owls  (2-0), got things going with a two point bucket from senior Julia Wells, to take a 9-7 lead with 4:48 left in the first quarter.
 
Then the Owls offensive would come alive and began to click as the team closed out the first quarter on an impressive 13-0 run, capped off with two free throws from Kennedy Volkart.
 
WWU defense was just as stellar in the first frame as its offense, only giving up three field goals (3-of-16) and holding them scoreless the final four minutes of the quarters.
 
In the second quarter, Brescia University would strike first with a field goal from Julia Whitfill, but the Owls countered immediately with a three pointer from Nia Lateju at the key, making the score 25-9.
 
At the 3:24 mark, the Bearcats would cut down the Owls lead to 13 (36-23) with a bucket from Haley Cook, that wouldn't phase WWU, as they stayed diligent and went into halftime with a 44-30 lead over BU.
 
In the first 20:00 minutes of play William Woods shot 47.2 percent from the floor (17-for-36) and were 8-of-11 from the free-throw line, the team was lead by Lateju 14 points and Volkart's eight rebounds. The Bearcats, meanwhile, were limited to 33.3 percent shooting and were just 2-for-4 from the charity stripe.
 
Coming out of half time, the Owls continued to control the game and would extend its lead out to the largest of the day at 18 (53-35), as junior April Gebke went coast to coast, finding her way to the basket nailing the easy two pointer and was fouled in the action. She converted her one free throw to collect the old fashion three-point play to put some distance between WWU and Brescia.
 
However, the Bearcats weren't going down without a fight and with 1:42 left to play in the third quarter, BU would take advantage of their opportunities at the free throw line, collecting six give me's and would end the third frame with a 10-4 run of their own, cutting the Owls lead down  to just 10 at 62-52.
 
Just like in the beginning of the third, Brescia would score the first basket of the fourth quarter, getting within eight of WWU,  The Owls maintained its composure go on a 8-0 run, shifting the momentum back to their side, after Wells connected with Volkart on the block, giving the Owls the 76-59 advantage.
 
At the 1:49 mark, the hot three point shooting from Brescia's Julie Whitfill, cut the Owls lead back down to 10, after she drained one of her five three pointers on the day. However, that would be as close as the Bearcats would get, as the Owls went on to secure the 86-69 win.
 
William Woods ended the day shooting 44.2 percent from the field and 72,6 percent from the free throw line, leading the way for the Owls were the duo of senior Nia Lateju and Kennedy Volkart, as Lateju recorded her first double-double of the season with 24 points (10-of-14) and 11 boards. Volkart also recorded a double-double performance on the day, with 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Wells chipped in 13 points and Gebke added eight.
 
Brescia University shot 32.2 percent from the floor, while Whitfill led all scorers with 25 points (9-for-24) and recorded five of the team's nine three pointers, while Haley Cooked contributed 20 points and Samantha Shoulders collected a team-high 10 rebounds.
 
The Owls return to the court tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. to wrap up its play in the Columbia College Cougar Classic, with a match-up against McPherson College.
 
Fans check back on wwuowls.com tomorrow for a full recap and score from Columbia, Missouri.

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