WILKES-BARRE – Ashley Caster (York, PA/Spring Grove) led three Lady Colonels in double figures as Wilkes University ended its first semester of play with an 80-40 victory over visiting Clarks Summit University on Saturday afternoon at the Marts Center.
 
Wilkes improves to 4-6 overall following the home non-conference win heading into the holiday/semester break. Clarks Summit remains winless standing 0-8 overall after suffering the road defeat.
 
Wilkes jumped out to a 24-9 lead after one quarter then outscored Clarks Summit 18-7 over the second period to take a commanding 42-16 lead at the half. Wilkes used its defense early and often to quick-start its offense causing 23 Clarks Summit turnovers leading to 24 points over the first twenty minutes of play.  Alyssa Alfano (Dunmore, PA/Holy Cross)'s three-point play pushed the Wilkes lead to 11-1 with 6:54 left in the first quarter before Asdone Hooper (Hanover, PA/Hanover Area) and Nicole Farrell (Blairstown, NJ/North Warren) added back-to-back baskets inside extending the advantage to 24-7 with 1:28 on the clock. Hooper continued the scoring to start the second frame scoring two straight baskets in transition before Chelsea Erkes (Wernersville, PA/Conrad Weiser) scored off a sweet behind the back pass from Ashley Haywood (Stuyvesant, NY/Virginia Episcopal) on the break as Wilkes took its largest lead of the game four minutes later up 27 points.
 
The second half proved much of the same for Wilkes causing Defender miscues which led to easy transition points and baskets in the paint. The lead grew to 39 points following a fast break layup from Caster with 3:13 left in the game before another score from Caster and a layup from Gianna Roberts (Nanticoke, PA/Nanticoke) capped the Wilkes scoring at 80 points, the highest scoring game of the season for the Lady Colonels.
 
Caster led the way offensively for Wilkes finishing with 14 points and six rebounds while Roberts followed with 12 points and four boards. Erkes scored a season-high 10 points including two three-pointers off the bench.
 
The Wilkes defense was at its best in the contest limiting Clarks Summit to just 23.3 percent (10-43) shooting and only ten made field goals. The Lady Colonels also held a decisive advantage on the glass out-rebounding the Defenders 58-41.
 
Wilkes remains idle through the Christmas holiday and semester break until it opens MAC Freedom play against FDU-Florham on January 4^th at 6:00 p.m. at the Marts Center.