MADISON, Wis. - Playing with high energy and aggressive defense, the Edgewood College women's basketball broke through for their first Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference victory, defeating MSOE 70-62 at the Todd Wehr Edgedome. The Eagles snapped a 22-game conference losing streak dating back 654 days to February 20, 2016.
Edgewood College (3-4, 1-2 NACC) came out hot, thanks to junior Allison Gordon. Gordon scored a pair of conventional three-point plays and totaled eight points in all as the Eagles broke to a 13-4 lead over the Raiders. Gordon even capped the run by feeding Aleigha Sigafus for an assist on her mid-range jumper. The Eagles led by as many as 10, before MSOE (2-3, 1-2 NACC) closed to a 23-18 deficit at the end of the first period.
The Raiders tied the game once in the second quarter as the Eagles' shooting cooled, but Edgewood College still carried a 34-32 lead into the locker room. MSOE did eventually take the lead 42-39 early in the third quarter on Saylan Reardon's three-point shot, but the Eagles regained the lead for good with a 10-2 run to end the period. Sigafus twice found Riley Larson cutting down low, while Abby Shane also connected on a jumper.
Edgewood College hadn't hit a three-pointer until Brooke Lonigro open the fourth with a triple from the top of the key to spark a 10-4 run which Shane closed with her own three-point shot to give the Eagles a 61-54 advantage. Reardon cut the Eagles' lead to 61-59 with 4:37 remaining, but the Eagles defense would not the Raiders take the lead. First, Larson scored on a putback and then collected steals on back-to-back possessions. Gordon made one of two free throws and then forced a turnover with a steal of her own. Larson followed with another steal, giving the Eagles thefts on four straight defensive possessions.
Larson scored again on a great dish from Shane to put the Eagles ahead 66-59 with less than a minute to play, giving Gordon and Jennifer Freeman a chance to ice the game by making four out of six free throws in the closing seconds.
Gordon filled the stat sheet in every category, in leading the young Eagles to victory. Gordon scored a season-high 18 points with seven rebounds, five assists, two blocked shots and a team-high four steals. Larson posted her first career game in double figures, scoring 12 points, grabbing seven rebounds and making three steals. Diamond Pikulyk owned the paint over the smaller Raiders, scoring 10 points and just missing a double-double with nine rebounds. Freeman scored nine points, while Delaney Wilhelm contributed eight. Shane had a team-high six assists. Edgewood College dominated the glass, outrebounding MSOE 38-28 and shot 45 percent for the game.
MSOE had four starters in double figures led by Reardon's 17 points, including four three-pointers. Point guard Kayla Barreto had 12 points, while Brooke Scott and Jamie Spanbauer scored 11 points each. The Raiders got to the free throw line just four times, making two foul shots, compared to the Eagles who went 14-for-22 at the line.
Edgewood College will get the chance to make it two wins in a row at home on Saturday against Marian University. The Eagles and Sabres will begin at 4:15 p.m. following the Edgewood College men's basketball game.
