MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Getting tough wins on the road is always a challenge, but the Edgewood College women's basketball team may have showed a new level of mental toughness tonight at the Kern Center. The Eagles overcame a five-point fourth quarter deficit and held on for a 66-62 victory over MSOE. Abby Shane made six three-pointers for a career-high 24 points in the victory.
Edgewood College (9-11, 7-8 NACC) led 42-40 heading into the fourth period, but the Raiders scored a 9-2 run to take a five-point lead with 7:36 to go. Jennifer Freeman reignited the Eagles with a three-pointer in transition from the left wing, setting the stage for Kelly Carpenter and to lead the comeback. Carpenter scored six points on a 12-2 run to put Edgewood College ahead of MSOE (7-13, 6-10 NACC) 57-51. Shane hit her fifth triple, and Abigail Sutter fired up the Eagles bench with an amazing bank three-pointer from the top of the key as the shot clock expired.
When the Raiders pulled back within two points, it was Carpenter who answered again with back-to-back hoops for a 61-55 lead. MSOE's Kayla Barreto scored five straight points, including a three-point play to cut it to one, but Shane hit the biggest shot of the night with a three-pointer from the right wing for a 64-60 lead with one minute to go. MSOE scored a pair of free throws and forced an shot clock violation on Edgewood College's next possession, tailing 64-62. But, MSOE's Kiana Jeremiah missed a running layup with seven seconds left and Delaney Wilhelm secured the rebound. The Raiders sent Shane to the free throw line who iced the game with two free throws.
Shane went 6-for-10 from the three-point to finish with 24 points, breaking her career-high of 21 set against Mount Mary in this season's second game. Carpenter scored eight of her 13 points in the decisive fourth quarter. She went 3-for-3 in the period and had a team-high eight rebounds. Allison Gordon filled the stat sheet with 10 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots. Brooke Lonigro and Wilhelm each had four assists. Edgewood College shot 40.4 percent for the game and 9-for-21 (42.9 percent) from the three-point line.
MSOE was led by Barreto who had 15 points and Shaylan Reardon who scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. The Raiders were virtually equal to the Eagles from the field, shooting 42.1 percent, but made just three of 19 three-point shots, including none in the second half.
Edgewood College still trails Aurora University by one game for the sixth and final NACC Tournament position. The Eagles will face a stiff test on Saturday when they host 25th-ranked Wisconsin Lutheran College at the Edgedome. The Warriors are coming off a 58-49 loss to Lakeland, which snapped the Warriors eight-game losing streak.
