ROCKFORD, Ill. – Edgewood College put together its most complete offensive performance on Saturday at Seaver Gymnasium against Rockford, giving the Eagles their third victory of the year and second league win. The Eagles posted their best shooting performance of the season in a 66-54 win over the Regents and Sierra Jiran led four players in double figures.
The Eagles and Regents were dead even through the first period at 18 points apiece. Zoey Dougherty and Sierra Jiran got the Eagles off to a hot start after scoring five points apiece in the opening frame. It was the second period when the Eagles really got into a groove offensively.
Edgewood College outscored Rockford 21-7 in the second period alone behind a 10-for-17 effort (58.8 percent) showing from the floor. The defense was rock solid at this point as well after holding Rockford to just two field goals in 11 attempts during the quarter. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded the Eagles were up 39-25.
The Eagles would go on an 8-2 run to start the third with Allison Gordon and Dougherty scoring four points apiece during the stretch. The Eagles would lead by as many as 12 points from there on out and still notched the double-digit victory despite being outscored 17-9 in the fourth.
Jiran's 14-point effort was the eighth double-digit game of her junior season. She also hauled in 14 rebounds to give her two-straight double-doubles and her fourth overall on the season. The back-to-back double-doubles is the first such effort by an Eagles player since Courtney Spangler did so late in the 2013-14 season.
Dougherty (11), Gordon (10) and Jazmin Little (10) also finished in double figures for the Eagles on a night in which they had four in double figures for the first time since Jan. 24, 2015 at Dominican. Edgewood College also excelled in the post, as they had 50 points on the paint to make up for an 0-for-11 showing from beyond the arc.
Senior point guard Rachel Pope was 3-for-7 from the field for six points, snapping a 12-game double-digit scoring streak. She had six rebounds and a pair of assists.
The Eagles have just one game next week. They will host Marian University on Wednesday in the Edgedome at 7 pm.
