Women’s basketball gets a pair of home wins and improves to 4-0

Justin Villalona

Washburn tipped off their home opener against Nebraska Christian during primetime Wednesday without their junior forward Taylor Blue, who was out with an ankle injury on Wednesday night.

Taylor Blue averaged about 11.4 points per game but also had the team’s best 159 rebounds in her 2014-2015 season with Arizona Christian University, making her an important part to this Ichabod team that was surely missed..

However, Washburn came out the locker room shooting, with a score of 26-10 in the first quarter to set up a hot start out the gates.

Washburn would not stop there, as they would secure a 38-14 score with 5:15 left till halftime, with freshman Mackenzie Loe having 13 points and senior Axelle Bernard accumulating 12 points.

After the Ichabods came out fast at the start of the game, they put up some impressive stats by halftime. The Washburn girls had a total of 26 rebounds, 13 assists, 2 blocks, and 10 steals only in the first half.

Washburn just continued to dominate Nebraska Christian in the third quarter with junior Olivia Montague having 12 points all by three pointers. By the end of the third quarter, Washburn would score 28 and Nebraska Christian would score ten in the third, setting up a fourth quarter that was far from competitive.

As the game winded down to a Ichabod win, senior Axelle Bernard would finish the game with 18 points and seven rebounds, and freshman Mackenzie Loe finished the game with 15 points, four rebounds, and one block.

With the kind of numbers Washburn was putting up, the game was over from the start. Washburn would secure the win at Lee Arena, beating out Nebraska Christian University by a score of 120-34.

Axelle Bernard, a senior for the Ichabods with a stellar game, had a few words about how she and her fellow teammates performed in the game and a look into the future.

“It was definitely a challenge, but I am also very excited because we have a very young team and I have adapted to a lot of young players,” said Axelle Bernard, “it is really fun to be around all of them.”

Another Ichabod that had a stellar game was freshman Mackenzie Loe, who also had a few words after the game against NCC about her performance in game.

“I made sure I was a lot faster and more competitive in this game, so it’s a challenge but it’s a good push for me to get out of my comfort zone,” Loe said.

The Women’s basketball team would get their second home win on Friday, Nov. 17 against Rockhurst University to improve to 4-0. This game was a fight from tip-off, both teams came out the locker room shooting at will.

Washburn would take the early lead though, with a first quarter score of 24-14, Mackenzie Loe, who has had an impressive season so far, scored the first 6 points of the game with layups in the paint.

During the second quarter, the Hawks defense stepped up big, holding the Ichabods to only score 13 points in the second quarter, setting up the score at halftime with Washburn in front 37-31.

Mackenzie Loe would finish the first half with 11 points, one assist, and one block and Olivia Montague would finish the first half with six points.

The second half was on a whole another level of intensity as the Ichabods only scored 17 points in the third and ten in the fourth and the Hawks would score 12 points in the third and 19 points in the fourth.

The Hawks would rally late in the game, but the Ichabods would end up being too much for the Hawks, as Washburn ended up with the win with a final score of 64-62.

Up next for the Ichabods is the Parrish Hotels Thanksgiving Classic, where the Ichabods will face off against St. Cloud State University at 7pm at Lee Arena on Nov. 24 where the Ichabods hope to stay undefeated and secure a 5-0 record.