Wilkes Women's Basketball Drops Home Opener to Gwynedd Mercy
WILKES-BARRE – Wilkes University women's basketball team had their first game at home but were unable to get pass Gwynedd Mercy University as the Colonels fell to the Griffins 71-53 in non-conference action on Thursday night at the Marts Center.
Wilkes would fall to 1-1 on the season while Gwynedd Mercy improves to 4-1.
The game began with both teams starting off hot, with Erin Shober (Reading, PA/Wilson) getting the first field goal of the game while Cayla Sharkey responded with a three pointer, eventually tying the game at 4-4. Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) hit her own three and a Shober layup gave the Colonels the lead, but Gwynedd Mercy would once more tie the game at 9-9 with just under four minutes to play. Matos would score the next seven points for Wilkes to hold off any momentum the Griffins were getting to finish the first quarter with a 16-13 lead.
Gwynedd Mercy would make their next two shots to tie it up, but Nadia Evanosky (Dallas, PA/Dallas) would hit a three-pointer to hold the lead up for Wilkes. The Griffins would keep pushing to take the lead, as they got within one point before a Madison Robel (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) layup followed by a Brianna Horton (Verona, NJ/Verona) three would give Wilkes their biggest lead with a 24-18 advantage. The Griffins would take advantage of the Colonels foul troubles near the end of the second quarter, earning six of their 12 points from the free throw line to go into the break with a 30-26 lead over Wilkes.
The second half would begin to see the Griffins extend their lead as they would score 10 of the first 12 points in the third quarter to make the game 40-28, forcing Wilkes to call a timeout with just over two minutes into the period. After Lynzie Eggers three pointer, Wilkes would score the next seven points off of a Shober jumper, Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) three-pointer, and two free throws from Brenna Babcock (Sweet Valley, PA/Northwest Area) to cut within eight points of Gwynedd Mercy to make it 43-35. The Griffins would not let up, outscoring Wilkes 12-8 through the rest of the third period to head into the fourth quarter with a 55-43 lead.
Evanosky would hit a three pointer to begin the fourth period, but the Griffins would keep Wilkes at bay, getting to the line ten times in the fourth quarter, making nine of their free throws. Horton and Shober would score in the period but would not be enough as the Griffins would outscore Wilkes 16-10 in the last period and leave with a 71-53 victory. The Griffins were 27-35 from the free throw line on the night, while Wilkes was 4-10. The Colonels shot 9-27 (33.3%) from the three-point line, but only 29.9% on field goals as they could only hit 29 out of their 70 shots. Gwynedd Mercy was 23.1% from the three points line, going 6-26, but went 19-58 (32.8%) from the court.
Matos and Evanosky tied for the team lead with 11 points on the night, with Evanosky going 3-6 from beyond the arc. Matos had a double-double on the night as she recorded 10 rebounds while dishing out four assists. Horton was one point shy of a double-double, as she had 10 rebounds and nine points, going 3-6 from the three-point line, also adding four assists and two steals. Shober also added nine points, with Marino following behind with seven of her own. Evanosky also had two steals along with Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) and Victoria Crooker (Shamong, NJ/Seneca).
Wilkes will return home to host the Cross County Challenge as they face Marywood University to begin their weekend matchups, as the contest between the Pacers will be on Saturday, November 19 at the Marts Center with tipoff at 3:00 p.m.
