ADA, Ohio – The Trine University women's basketball team was victorious Saturday afternoon against previously unbeaten Ohio Northern University 75-54.
The nationally-ranked Thunder advance their record to 5-1 on the season and Ohio Northern falls to 4-1 overall.
Trine was able to win all four quarters of play and shot 51.9% (27-for-52) from the field in the win, their second game in 2021-22 where the Thunder had more makes than misses.
Kayla Wildman [Rockford, Mich. / Rockford] and Kaylee Argyle [Freeland, Mich. / Freeland] connected for three's on back-to-back possessions to give Trine a 6-0 lead. Wildman tacked on one more made shot from distance to go up 9-2 in the first five minutes of play.
Sam Underhill [Grand Rapids, Mich. / Northview] wrapped up the first period with six points off the bench to give the Thunder a 17-12 first quarter advantage.
Kelsy Taylor [Louisville, Ky. / New Albany] got in the scoring column early in the second with a pair of made field goals to send the road team up 23-16, but the Polar Bears battled back with seven unanswered to tie the game up. A Rachel Stewart [Pekin, Ind. / Eastern] lay-up allowed the Thunder to regain the lead on the following possession.
Sophie Sloneker [Monroe, Ohio / Monroe] was fouled on a three-point attempt and knocked down all three free throws late in the half before Taylor made a jump shot to close the first half up 38-30.
An and-one by Taylor off an offensive rebound sparked the Thunder in the second half as Trine would win the third quarter 16-13 and carry an 11-point lead into the closing period.
It was Taylor once again with a backbreaking and-one at the beginning of the fourth quarter that carried Trine to victory. Freshmen Sierra Hinds [Carmel, Ind. / University], Sidney Wagner [Warsaw, Ind. / Tippecanoe Valley] and Brooke Brauher [Big Rapids, Mich. / Morley Stanwood] all reached the scoring column in the fourth as the Thunder puled away to a 75-54 win.
Taylor led all scorers with 14 points and brought down a team-best six rebounds. Underhill chipped in with 13 points and Kaylee Argyle finished with 11. Defensively, it was Stewart contributing with three blocked shots to pace the team.
Trine begins Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play on Wednesday, December 1 at 7:30 pm when the Adrian Bulldogs travel to Angola, Indiana to face the Thunder.