Valpo Drops Matchup at Evansville Saturday
The Valpo women’s basketball team completed its weekend swing through the state of Indiana with a 66-46 loss at Evansville Saturday afternoon. Freshman Allia von Schlegell (Downers Grove, Ill./Nazareth Academy) surpassed her previous career best with 19 points.
How It Happened
– Valpo took the lead inside the first minute on a triple from von Schlegell before Evansville scored 10 in a row to force a timeout from the Beacons 3:39 into the game.
– The Beacons came out of the stoppage with seven of the next nine points, capped by a 3-pointer by Fiona Connolly (South Burlington, Vt./Brewster Academy [La Salle]) to bring Valpo within 12-10 with 3:32 to play in the quarter.
– After the teams traded points, the Purple Aces scored the final seven points of the quarter to extend their lead to 21-12 at the end of the period.
– Evansville matched that spurt to start the second quarter, pushing its edge to 28-12 and forcing a Valpo timeout 90 seconds into the period.
– The Beacons held the Purple Aces to just five points over the next eight minutes, while von Schlegell had eight points and Connolly four during the same stretch to get back to within nine points.
– Evansville scored a pair of baskets in the final 30 seconds of the half to lead 37-24 at halftime.
– Valpo’s deficit fluctuated between 12 and 15 points for most of the third quarter before the Purple Aces went on a 9-0 run to end the period with a 52-31 lead.
Inside the Game
– von Schlegell surpassed her career high with a 19-point afternoon, a mark which included a Valpo season-best five made 3-pointers. It was the freshman’s eighth double-digit scoring effort of the season.
– Connolly added 11 points to score in double figures for the 11th time this year.
– One game after dishing out a Valpo season-high seven assists, Mikayla Huffine (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran H.S. [Quincy/Iowa Western C.C.]) followed with a game-high five assists on Saturday.
– The Beacons hit just 27.1% from the floor Saturday and were just 7-of-29 from 3-point range. The defense did hold Evansville to 37.5% shooting, including just 6-of-27 from 3-point range.
– Valpo also forced 18 turnovers by the Purple Aces, a season high for its opposition.
Next Up
Valpo (0-15, 0-4 MVC) returns home to the ARC for its lone home game in a five-game stretch Thursday night as it hosts Bradley at 6 p.m.
-Valpo Women’s Basketball-