AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria women's basketball team defeated Webber 69-55 on Saturday afternoon to improve to 8-1 overall and to 2-0 in Sun Conference play. Four players scored in double-figures for the Blue and Green in a balanced effort.
 
Sarah Miller led the Gyrenes with 17 points and 14 rebounds. Danielle Weinmann had 11 point and seven boards. Katie Houbolt and Syanne Rowe each finished with 10 points.
 
Trailing 9-8 midway in the first quarter, three straight baskets by Miller, Emily Acosta, and Amanda Kasprzak gave the Gyrenes a five point lead with 3:11 to play. A minute later, Macarena Corral hit a three to keep the AMU advantage at six. Rowe gave the Gyrenes their largest lead of the quarter with 1:20 to play when she knocked down a jumper.
 
Five straight points by Ave Maria to start the second quarter put the Blue and Green in front 26-14. Later in the quarter, a seven point run highlighted by five points by Houbolt extended the Gyrenes advantage to 16. Webber closed the half on a 9-2 spurt to pull within nine, 39-30, at the break.
 
Ave Maria survived a rally by Webber in the third quarter. The Warriors cut the AMU lead to seven before a three by Taylor Allen and a Weinmann layup extended it back to 12. A layup by Allen at the end of the quarter made it 58-44 heading to the fourth.
 
Rowe opened the fourth with four-straight points to push the Gyrene lead to 18, their largest of the game. Webber made one final push and cut the AMU lead to seven before back-to-back layups by Miller pushed the lead back to double-figures. The Gyrenes made three of four free throws down the stretch to close out the game 69-55.
 
Ave Maria had a 19-14 advantage in points off turnovers and 16-4 edge in second chance points.
 
The Gyrenes return to action on Thursday, Nov. 29, when they host Keiser at 5:30 p.m.