MARIETTA, OHIO -- The Trine University women's basketball team won easily against Frostburg State (Md.) University, 86-35, in its first game of the two-day 34th Annual Jim Meagle Turkey Shoot Out hosted by Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio.
The Thunder held their opponents to under 10 points in three out of four quarters and forced the Bobcats into shooting just 28.0 percent for the game (14-of-50). Trine also forced 19 turnovers and out-rebounded FSU, 48-23.
Individually, Trine had a balanced attack with with five players scoring in double figures. Senior Cassidy Williams (Archbold, Ohio/Archbold) and freshman Kelsy Taylor (Louisville, Ky./New Albany) led the way with 12 points each. Williams shot three-of-six (50.0 percent) from the field and was a perfect six-of-six at the free-throw line. Taylor converted five of her seven field goals (71.4 percent) and had six rebounds.
Three players finished the game with 10 points in senior's Montana Martin (Columbia City, Ind./Churubusco), Brandi Dawson (Garrett, Ind./Garrett) and Shaely Duff (Greenfield, Ind./Mount Vernon). Dawson and Duff also grabbed a game-tying high seven rebounds apiece.
In the first quarter, Trine (4-1) held FSU (4-1) to just two made field goals and outscored the Bobcats, 22-4. After scoring the first five points of the game thanks to a three-pointer by sophomore Shay Herbert (Pinckney, Mich./Pinckney) and a layup by Dawson, FSU got on the board at the 7:09 mark and would not score again until 4:29 left in the quarter, while Trine had already extended its lead out to 11-4. The Thunder then ended the period with 11 straight points that included a layup by Taylor to cap the scoring and give Trine the 18-point advantage.
Both teams struggled offensively to begin the second quarter with Trine leading, 26-7, with just over six-and-half minutes remaining in the half. Shortly after, Trine began to get the scoring going and continued to pull away, outscoring FSU, 16-6, to end the half and boast a 42-13 lead at the break.
The Bobcats scored the first points of the third quarter, but the Thunder answered with a 10-0 scoring run that was sparked by a three-pointer by junior Katy Steers (Portage, Ind./Portage) and ended with Trine leading by 37 points, 52-15, with 6:54 to go. Trine went to lead by as many as 42 points in the frame, 65-23, following a layup by Duff, on its way to having a 65-26 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter continued to favor the Thunder as they held the Bobcats to just nine points. Trine posted its largest lead of the game of 51 points at the 1:19 mark on a pair of free-throws by freshman Rachel Stewart (Pekin, Ind./Eastern) that made it an 86-35 game. The two freebies by Stewart would be the final points of the game for either team as the Thunder went on to win by the final of 86-35.
Trine advances to take on host Marietta in the championship game tomorrow (Sunday, Nov. 25) of the Jim Meagle Turkey Shoot Out. The game is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.