Statesmen Run Out of Gas Against Grand View

Des Moines--The William Penn women's basketball team was unable to keep pace down the stretch as it fell 70-57 to Grand View in Heart of America Athletic Conference action Wednesday.

WPU (3-4, 1-1 Heart) had one of its best shooting efforts of the young season, going 42.0% from the field. The Vikings (6-2, 2-1 Heart) unfortunately were also solid at 44.2% and also outscored the navy and gold 24-9 in points off turnovers as William Penn committed 17 turnovers in the setback (14 turnovers for GVU).

The game started off with both teams exchanging baskets, before the Vikings got out to an 11-6 lead. The Statesmen responded quickly to the small deficit, tying the game up with five unanswered points. Aiesha Feagins (Jr., Grand Prairie, Texas, Applied Mathematics) proceeded to knock down a three-pointer, giving the navy and gold a 14-13 lead going into the second quarter.

The home team quickly turned the score around in the second quarter, jumping out 24-17 lead. Every time William Penn scored, GVU answered as the Statesmen went into the half trailing 32-26.

Both teams seemingly came out the locker hot as each went 7-for-11 from the field in the third quarter. Morgan Terry (Sr., Cornersville, Tenn., Biology) and Ally Stewart (Sr., Victoria, Australia, Physical Education) tried to cut into the lead as both combined for 11 of the 20 Statesmen points in the quarter.

Trailing just 51-46 heading into the final quarter, WPU unfortunately struggled putting the ball in the basket in the final period as Grand View pulled away down the stretch. Terry highlighted the Statesmen scoring down the stretch, accounting for six of William Penn's 11 points in the fourth. The senior was one of the three Statesmen that finished in double figures, ending up with 15 points along with three rebounds and three assists.

Stewart was another in double figures, closing out the night with 13 points and three rebounds, while Feagins gave a boost off the bench, tallying 15 points and three rebounds in the loss.  Journie Augmon (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev., Human Services) added six points, while Zantasia White (Sr., Lubbock, Texas, Secondary Education) was good for five points and three assists.

The navy and gold were outrebounded 28-23, and despite a 9-4 deficit in offensive boards, they held a 5-4 edge in second-chance points.

Next Up: William Penn will return to Oskaloosa Saturday to take on Benedictine (Kan.) in a Heart contest at 2 p.m.