The womenís basketball team traded baskets with John Carroll University all night on Monday, but eventually fell short in securing victory in the season opener. Despite leading at many points in the second half, the Scots were undone by turnovers and untimely fouls late in the game, giving John Carroll the 85-82 win.
In a game that featured strong offensive performances all over the court, the Scots and the Blue Streaks battled for momentum and control of the game throughout. John Carroll opened up a nine point advantage early in the first half which was cut to two by the halftime break. The game featured 10 lead changes in the second half and 17 ties throughout the entirety of the game.
Kym Wenz í10, a preseason All-American and last seasonís NCAC leading scorer, started right where she left off last season. Wenz recorded a career high 35 points on 55 percent shooting from the field and a nearly perfect 10 of 11 from the free throw line to lead all scorers on Monday night.† Guard Colleen Goodwillie í10 added on to the offensive effort with 10 points of her own for the Scots.
The Scots also received solid post play from the tandem of Kaitlin Krister í10 and Jessica Wingan í13. Krister pulled in five rebounds while scoring 10 points and Wingan recorded a double double in her Wooster debut with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Wooster dominated the Blue Streaks on the glass, out rebounding John Carroll 47-37.
Wooster established its physical presence in set offense and defensive sets, but was exposed in transition with the Blue Streaks capitalizing when the tempo was increased. John Carrollís Lee Jennings undid the Scotsí defense with 25 points and consistent dribble penetration. The Scots also lost the turnover battle by a 17-11 margin. This was a significant factor in the second half and in the final five minutes as the John Carroll Blue Streaks pulled away for good.
The Scots will look to rebound this weekend at home in the Nan Nichols Tournament featuring Franciscan University, Mount Union University and Notre Dame College. Wooster tips off against Franciscan tomorrow at 3 p.m. looking to rebound from the tough loss to open the season, before returning to action on Sunday against either Mount Union or Notre Dame, who play each other earlier on Saturday.