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Owls Open With Win

(FULTON, Mo., Nov. 6) -The William Woods University women’s basketball team defeated visiting William Penn University 79-72 in Anderson Arena on Friday night. It was the season opener for the Owls.

WWU took a 47-25 lead into the half. The Owls shot 56% from the floor on 20-for-36 shooting. The William Woods defense held the Lady Statesman to 27% shooting for the half. Junior Rachel Baker (Mexico, Mo.) led the Owls at the break with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Sophomore Miranda Loesch (Lohman, Mo.) added 13 points and five rebounds in the opening 20 minutes of play.

The Lady Statesman opened the second half hot from the floor. WPU outscored WWU 27-12, and cut the William Woods lead to seven points with 10:23 remaining in the game. William Penn shot 53% from the floor in the second half, including 60% (6-for-10) from behind the three-point line. The Owls went cold from the floor; shooting 35% in the second half.

The Lady Statesman cut the lead to four points with two minutes remaining on a pair of free throws from Christa Subbert. That was as close as they would get as William Woods senior Eshell Estrella (Shelbina, Mo.) went four-for-four from the free throw line down the stretch to preserve the victory.

On the night, William Woods shot 46% from the floor in the win. William Penn shot 40% from the floor in the loss. The Owls outrebounded the Lady Statesman 50 to 31.

Baker led the Owls with 28 points, 16 rebounds (14 defensive rebounds), seven blocked shots and seven assists. Loesch added 17 points and seven rebounds in the win. Junior Jill Sutton (Warrenton, Mo.) completed the double-figure scoring for the Owls with 12 points. Estrella dished-out 11 assists in the win.

William Penn (2-2) was led in scoring by Christa Subbert with 17 points. Samantha Darley and Janice Adams added 11, and 10, points respectively.

William Woods (1-0) will return to action on November 10. The Owls will travel to Benedictine College (Kan.) for a 5:30 pm tip-off.