Eight minute scoring drought in second half dooms Lady Coyotes
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Kaylaen Dittmer goes up for a layup during the first half of KWU's 48-61 loss to Friends

Friends University held the Kansas Wesleyan Lady Coyotes scoreless for a nearly eight minute span in the second half as part of a 21-2 run as the Lady Falcons got past the Lady Coyotes 61-48 on Thursday night at Muir Gym.

KWU led 37-32 with 15:34 left in the second half, when the wheels fell off, as the Lady Coyotes did not score again until the 7:52 mark on a pair of free throws by Ascendra Peters during a 21-2 Friends run that saw the Falcons take a 14-point lead 53-39 with 3:53 left.

Kaylaen Dittmer gave Wesleyan an early lead with a three, but Friends would go ahead by as many as four, 13-9 with 13:26 left in the first half on a three by Kristina Jones. Dittmer would score four straight to get the things tied up at 13, and Charressa Gray would give Wesleyan a short lived lead with 10:09 left at 15-13.

After Friends tied things up at 17-all with 8:03 left, Wesleyan would use a 6-0 run to take a 23-17 lead with 5:04 left. Friends would get as close as two, 26-24, with 2:21 left in the half on a pair of Breanna Gross free throws, before Wesleyan would answer with a 5-0 run to take its biggest lead of the night at 31-24 with 1:40 left.

The Lady Coyotes would take a 31-26 lead into the halftime break.

Four straight points to open the second half by Gross would get Friends within one, at 31-30. The Lady Coyotes would then take their biggest lead of the second half, 37-32, with 15:34 left, when the wheels fell off.

Jones would hit a three, sparking the Lady Falcon run that would give Friends a five-point lead, 42-37, before the Lady Coyotes would score again. Friends would extend its lead to 14, 53-39, with 3:53 left.

Wesleyan (7-16, 3-10) would get within eight, 56-48, with 1:31 left on an old fashioned three point play by Jentri Dixon, but could get no closer as Friends would score the final five points of the game to come away with the 61-48 win.

Dittmer would lead the Coyotes with 19 points, while Peters added 11 as Wesleyan struggled from the floor, only hitting 13-of-50 shots for 26 percent. Dixon led the Lady Coyotes with six rebounds and Peters added five. Dittmer also had six steals to go along with three assists. The only bright spot was Wesleyan’s free throw shooting. The Lady Coyotes were 17-of-19 at the line, including a perfect 12-for-12 in the first half.

Jones and Gross would lead Friends (8-14, 5-7) with 17 points each, as the Lady Falcons were 15-of-33 from the floor for 45.5 percent. Michelle Price would lead the Lady Falcons on the boards, with seven, as Friends enjoyed a 30-27 advantage on the glass. Friends was hampered by 25 turnovers, including eight by Megan VinZant, but Wesleyan was unable to capitalize on any of the Friends miscues.

The Lady Coyotes travel to Sterling on Saturday to face the no.13 ranked Lady Warriors, winners of their last 11 games. Wesleyan then wraps up the home portion of the regular season schedule with games against Tabor on Thursday, and Bethel on Saturday at Muir Gym.

-- KWU SI --