CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University women's basketball team moved to 10-2 with an 86-62 victory against the visiting Lourdes University Gray Wolves (8-4) on Friday afternoon.
The Pioneers got a double-double from junior Erin Kaufman with a team-high 23 points and 12 rebounds in the win. Senior Kyli Horn and junior Alia Miller were in double figures as well with 11 points and 10 points. Malone also had big contributions from senior Brinn Hunt and freshman Kylee Bruce with four steals apiece and freshman Abbey Price dished out six assists.
As a team, the Pioneers shot 50.8% (33-of-65) from the field and were 11-for-26 from beyond the arc (42.3%). Malone forced 25 turnovers and scored 39 points off the miscues. The bench unit netted 35 points compared to seven for the Gray Wolves.
A high-octane first half saw Malone score 25 points to take a 25-20 lead through ten minutes. Four of the Pioneers' nine field goals in the period were from distance. Junior Anna Krupa found senior Brooklyn Troyer in the corner for three as time expired in the first quarter.
The scoring would carry into the second quarter as well with Malone extending the lead to 49-37 at the break. Seven Lourdes turnovers led to 14 points for the Pioneers in the period. Horn knocked down a pair of three-point tries in the second quarter alone.
A 13-0 scoring run for the Pioneers in the third quarter make the deficit too much for the Gray Wolves to overcome. Post players Kaufman and Miller had a combined nine during the scoring run to bury their opponents. Junior Nataley Armstrong found Kaufman for a layup just before the final buzzer to make the score 71-48 with one quarter to play.
Just as with the first three quarters, Malone won the fourth 15-14 to get to the 86-62 final score. Freshman Alyssa Geiser buried a pair of three-point field goals and freshman Katie Kaufman scored late in the win.
After the Christmas holiday break, the Pioneers return to Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) action against Ursuline College on Thursday, January 2 at 5:30 P.M.
