Poor second half pushes Sterling by Lady Coyotes
By: David Toelle, KWU Sports Information

Khristy Santee goes up for a shot during the second half of KWU's 68-53 loss to Sterling on Thursday night

Kansas Wesleyan had the no.24 ranked Sterling Lady Warriors right where they wanted them at the half. The Coyotes led 32-24, but second half was not so kind to KWU, as they only shot 17.4 percent in the second 20 minutes and lost to the Lady Warriors 68-53 on Thursday night at Muir Gym.

KWU led by 10, 32-22, with 1:26 left in the first half, but Chandell Goodwin cut the lead to eight with 11 seconds left on a pair of free throws, sparking a 22-1 Sterling run that continued into the second half that put the Lady Warriors up comfortably 11 at 44-33 with 13:04 left.

Sterling struck first with 18:42 to go in the first half as Hilary Stucky scored, but Kaylaen Dittmer answered for the Coyotes, and Jentri Dixon put Wesleyan up 4-2 with 18:12 left in the half. After Alicia Collett tied things up again for Sterling, the Coyotes went on a 9-2 run to take a 13-6 lead with 15:56 left in the half on a bucket by Ascendra Peters.

Sterling (12-3, 4-1) got as close as two, 18-16 with 8:43 left before Wesleyan used a 14-6 run to take the ten point lead with 1:26 left in the half.

Wesleyan (5-10, 1-4) fought back after the big Sterling run in the second half, getting back within five, at 44-39 with 11:30 left on a pair of Sarah Montoya free throws, but could get no closer the rest of the way, as Sterling quickly pulled away going back up 11 with 9:43 left on a bucket by K.C. Bassett.

Wesleyan was led by Dixon and Montoya who had 10 each, while Peters added eight for the Coyotes who shot 30.8 percent on 16-of-52 shooting for the game, including a frigid 4-for-23 in the second half. Charressa Gray and Peters each had seven boards to lead the Coyotes as both teams pulled down 37 rebounds each.

Bassett and Collett led Sterling with 14 each, while Stucky added 12 for the Warriors who shot 25-of-57 from the field for 43.9 percent, including a 53.1 percent effort in the second half. Stucky and Taylor Harrison led Sterling on the boards with seven each.

Wesleyan hits the road for the first of two straight road games on Saturday, taking on the Tabor Bluejays in Hillsboro, before heading to North Newton next Thursday to take on the Bethel Threshers.

-- KWU SI --