FULTON, Mo. – Women's basketball had its home opener on Saturday as old conference foe Williams Baptist (3-1) looked for its first win of the year.
William Woods (0-2) would pace the Williams Baptist through the first quarter despite the Eagles getting out to a quick 12-3 lead over the Owls.
Abby Alivernia would lead the Owls with 5 points on 2-3 shooting, with
Jersee Wren and
Mya Pflasterer each adding 4 points to close the gap and end the quarter down just 3 to the Eagles.
William Woods continued to battle in the second quarter, closing the half on a 9-5 run to stay within reach. Pflasterer led the way with seven first-half points, going a perfect 2-for-2 from the field and 2-for-2 from the line.
Mariah Prince dominated the boards, collecting 10 rebounds before the break to help keep the Owls in the game.
In the second half, the Eagles used a 14-3 run to pull away and take control of the game. Despite eight points from Wren and another five rebounds from Prince, the Owls faced a 17-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter.
The Owls would keep fighting, but the third quarter would be too much for them to overcome as the Eagles kept their lead throughout the fourth quarter. The Owls would fall to Williams Baptist 71-47.
Wren led the Owls with 19 points and four assists, while Pflasterer added 14 points and five rebounds. Prince finished the night with an impressive 20 rebounds.
William Woods will travel to Springfield on Wednesday for an exhibition match-up against Drury University before returning home Saturday to open Heart conference play against Peru State. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. in Anderson Arena.
