Shooting woes hurt Grace at home
WINONA LAKE, Ind. – Grace’s women’s basketball team suffered its worst offensive output of the season, falling 74-64 to Concordia on Friday.
The Lady Lancers (10-3), who averaged 92.0 points per game entering Friday’s contest, were held to their lowest point total of the year. Grace shot 30 percent or worse in each half.
Kyannah Stull was a bright spot for Grace’s offense, scoring 21 points with 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 5 steals.
Grace struggled with its shot in the first quarter. The Lady Lancers shot just 33 percent from the floor, including 0-for-5 from beyond the arc.
But Grace’s defense and foul shooting kept the Lady Lancers close. Concordia turned the ball over nine times in the quarter. But the Cardinals (9-4) still led 19-17 by the end of the quarter after shooting 57 percent as a team.
The Lady Lancers’ shooting woes only worsened in the second quarter. Grace did not score for over three minutes to start the period.
Concordia pulled out to a 10-point edge late in the half and held a 38-30 lead at halftime.
Grace shot just 30 percent from the floor in the half, including a 3-of-14 performance (21 percent) on 3-pointers.
Vironnica Drake paced Grace’s offense with 12 points, scoring seven of those from the foul line.
Stull did her best to spark Grace’s attack in the third quarter; the guard ripped off nine points in the frame.
But the rest of Grace’s team combined for just three more points in a 12-point quarter. Concordia led by 12 as the teams entered the last quarter.
In the fourth quarter, Concordia pulled ahead by 17 with six minutes remaining — the largest lead of the game.
The Lady Lancers had one rally left. Grace erupted for nine points over a two-minute span, keyed by a 3-pointer from Kamryn Hostetler.
Drake hit a pair of free throws, cutting the Cardinals’ cushion down to 66-56 with 3:23 remaining.
But Grace missed its next five field goals to erase any chance of a turnaround. The Lady Lancers hit a pair of triples down the stretch, but the damage was already done in a home defeat. Friday marked Grace’s first home loss of the season (7-1).
Grace shot 29.7 percent as a team compared to 50.0 percent for Concordia; the Lady Lancers did nab 15 steals, forcing Concordia into 28 turnovers.
But Concordia’s 40 points in the paint powered the Cardinals.
Drake produced 17 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, and Hostetler added eight points and five assists.
Maddie Ryman scored eight points off the bench, Kaylie Warbled grabbed six boards, and Brooke Treadway had 4 points, 3 rebounds and 2 steals.
“Credit to Concordia; they came in and played a good game. We could have coached better and played better,” said Grace head coach Dan Davis. “Tonight we never found a rhythm on the offensive and defensive end. We left a lot of points on the rim. We have to come out with more intensity. We’ll take a few days off and get ready for the second half of the year. We’re pleased with our start to the season overall. There’s a lot to build on as we get ready for conference play.”
The Lady Lancers do not return home until Jan. 15. Grace will play at Holy Cross on Dec. 28 and at Asbury on Dec. 30 to end the calendar year.
