After an 0-3 start, the Waynesburg University women’s basketball team picked up its first win of the season, beating Houghton College, 70-61 Friday night. Those 61 points were a season low given up by the Jackets, following a season high 96 points to Case Western Reserve Tuesday Tuesday. The Jackets [1-3] held the Highlanders [1-5] to 16.7% shooting from three.
“We did some things defensively well that we haven’t done so far this year,” coach Sam Jones said. “I was pretty happy with that. We were just relentless and played with a lot more focus and attention to detail.”
Sophomore center Brooke Fuller, who led the team with 15 points and nine rebounds, said the Jackets made a tweak to their defense prior to Friday’s game.
“We changed our defense to zone,” she said. “I think that helped us a lot because we have a lot of strong players and quick players. I think tonight proved that this is where we’re starting that’s the bar we’re setting.
Waynesburg also did its job offensively, highlighted by an exquisite shooting display in the third quarter. The Jackets shot 76.9% from the field, and took a 55-47 advantage into the final period after leading by two at the half. Waynesburg was only 1-9 from the field in the fourth quarter, but 13-15 from the free-throw line to help secure the victory.
Fuller, who narrowly missed a double-double, believes her success was a result of holding her own against Houghtons Emie Taylor.
“I definitely tore apart number 41 [Taylor],” Fuller said. “My goal was to not let her have as many rebounds and points as me. I did give it all I had. I’m out of energy.”
Although Taylor had a game-high 14 rebounds, Fuller accomplished half of that goal, holding Taylor to eight points.
Jones said Fuller’s improvement from last year to this one is already showing after just four games.
“Brooke has done a great job this year,” he said. “She has improved immensely from her freshman year. She’s put in a lot of work, and it just shows, and we relied on her tonight to get us some buckets and get us going when the other shots weren’t falling at first.”
Junior guard Andrea Orlosky added 14 points and freshman point guard Anika Dansby tallied 13 more, a career high so far in her young career. Most of all, Fuller was excited about the team getting its first win of the season first win of the season.
“I miss this feeling,” Fuller said. “We didn’t have a lot of [winning] last year. I want it to be a different year, and we’re going to do that starting now.”
Jones summed up the night in just four words.
“They’re tired of losing,” Jones said.
The Lady Jackets are in action again Tuesday, Nov. 26 against Otterbein at 5 p.m. at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse.