Box Score
The Malone University women's basketball team competed at NAIA Div. II #12 Walsh University in the 15th annual Mayors' Cup game on Saturday afternoon but lost to the Cavaliers by the score of 67-36. The hosts led 20-3 early in the contest, extended their lead over the visiting Pioneers by the score of 37-16 at halftime and pulled away in the final 20-minute stanza to post the 31-point victory over Malone. The Cavaliers' win over the Pioneers was their seventh straight win over Malone (over the last four seasons). With the loss, Malone dropped to 6-17 overall on the season and to 2-8 in the American Mideast Conference while Walsh improved to 18-4 overall and to 9-1 in the AMC.
Walsh did most of its damage against Malone with a 24-2 advantage in points in the paint and a 25-5 edge in points off turnovers. Malone managed just 16.7% shooting from the field (8 of 48) while Walsh tallied 27 of 59 field goal attempts for 45.8%. The Pioneers launched 19 three-pointers, hitting just three for 15.8%, while the Cavaliers made just two from beyond the arc in six attempts for 33.3%. One bright spot for Malone was its 17-of-20 performance at the free throw line for 85.0% as Walsh sank just 11 of 19 for 57.9%. Walsh held a slight edge in rebounds by a 43-37 margin.
While no Pioneers hit double digits in scoring, junior guard
Caitlin Sharp led the way for the team with six points and added four rebounds and two steals. Sharp also tossed in two three-pointers in three tries. Freshman forward
Sarah VanVoorhis contributed five points, all at the line going 5-of-6, and also pulled down four rebounds. Senior forward
Alison Schloz tossed in five points and grabbed two rebounds.
The Cavaliers' were led by Jessie Miller, who had 17 points, and by Katie Berry who tossed in 16 points. Kristi Yoder paced Walsh in rebounds with eight.
In its next contest, Malone will take on its third NAIA Div. II nationally-ranked team in four games as the Pioneers host #15 ranked Cedarville University in a 5:30 p.m. contest on Tuesday. This game will be
live video streamed and
live stats will also be available.
NOTE: For the second straight contest (including Thursday's 55-53 win at Point Park University), Malone senior guard and Pioneer leading scorer
Amy Kittle did not play as her father, Curt Kittle, passed away suddenly on Wednesday. Walsh University held a moment of silence just prior to today's contest in honor of Mr. Kittle and the Kittle family.
