The Malone University women's basketball team was outscored 21-9 in the final seven minutes as Walsh University pulled away for a 67-57 win in the 23rd Annual Mayors' Cup battle Saturday afternoon in Osborne Hall. With the loss, which snapped a five-game winning streak, Malone fell to 13-13 on the season and 11-9 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Walsh, winners of seven straight, improved to 20-6 on the season and 16-4 in the conference.
 
Postseason Outlook
Despite the loss, Malone locked up a postseason berth on Saturday by virtue of Lake Erie's loss to Tiffin. The Pioneers currently own the sixth seed in the G-MAC standings. The G-MAC Championship begins on March 5th with four quarterfinal matches at the campus sites of the top-four seeds. With the win, Walsh guaranteed itself a home playoff game.
 
Recap
In tightly-contested game from the get-go, Malone grabbed its largest lead of the game with 6:33 left in the first quarter when Chrissie Vaughan canned her second three-pointer to make it 6-0. Vaughan, who entered the game needing just 10 points to reach 1,000 for her career, scored three points over the duration of the game and will enter next week with 999 career points.
 
After the 6-0 lead, Walsh scored seven straight to answer back before Malone responded with a 9-2 run, capped by a Sydney Wentling three-pointer in transition, which put the Pioneers up 15-9. By the end of the first quarter, Malone led 17-15. By the end of the first half, Malone maintained a thin 29-28 advantage as Wentling led all scorers with 11 points at the break.
 
The third quarter featured three ties and five lead changes and saw Walsh begin to assert its dominance in the paint. By the end of the period, the Cavs led 43-40, but Malone made one last surge in the final frame.
 
Three-point buckets by Paiten Strother and Ellen Doyle on back-to-back possessions lifted Malone back in front 48-46 with 8:24 left to play. From there, Walsh went on a 7-0 spurt before Robin Campbell drilled a step-back three to cut the deficit to 53-51 with 5:46 to play.
 
Just 10 seconds later, Walsh's Kimmie Borck delivered the dagger with a three-point shot to make it a two-score game and Malone never fully recovered. The Pioneers were limited to just five points over the final five minutes as the Cavaliers went on to earn the 67-57 road victory.
 
Game Highlights
-Entering the game as one of the best rebounding teams in the country, Walsh outrebounded Malone 44-27, including a 22-9 margin in the second half.
-The Cavaliers made 45.5% (25-of-55) from the floor and 6-of-17 (35.3%) from three-point range.
-Malone shot only 33.3% overall but went 11-of-29 (37.9%) from three. Saturday marked the first time all season the Pioneers made at least 10 threes and lost (8-1).
-The Pioneers committed only seven turnovers, tied for the second-fewest this season.
-Walsh blocked seven shots and held a 34-18 edge in points in the paint.
 
Malone Individual Highlights
-Sydney Wentling tied a season-high with 17 points to go along with two assists and a steal.
-Playing all 40 minutes for the fifth time this season, Robin Campbell collected 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
-Chrissie Vaughan extended her consecutive games streak of making at least one three-pointer to 31 in a row as she finished with nine points, two assists, and two steals.
-Ellen Doyle provided eight points and three boards.
-Paiten Strother equaled a career-high with six assists.
 
Walsh Individual Highlights
-Borck led the Cavs with 16 points and five rebounds off the bench.
-Quionche Carter, the G-MAC's second-leading scorer, finished with 15 points and six boards
-Mayci Sales added 12 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks.
 
Up Next
Malone will host Ursuline next Thursday, February 28th at 6:00 pm before closing out the regular season on Saturday, March 2nd at home against Lake Erie.