WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University women's basketball team won their fourth consecutive conference game on Thursday night, earning a 70-61 victory over the Keiser University Seahawks at the Countess de Hoernle Student Life Center. With the win, the Gyrenes moved alone into second place in The Sun Conference with a 6-1 record in league play.
The Gyrenes had their best defensive effort in the opening quarter, holding the host Seahawks to just nine points in the first ten minutes. AMU scored on their first possession of the game on a Sarah Miller layup, and did not trail for the entirety of the quarter. Ave Maria led by as many as six points in the frame, holding the lead multiple times, including a 15-9 lead at the conclusion of the quarter.
Keiser rallied to take the lead in the second quarter, going on a 13-4 run to turn a 17-9 Ave Maria lead into a 22-21 Keiser advantage with 6:05 to play. The latter half of the second quarter, though, belonged to the Gyrenes. After trailing 24-23, Ave Maria scored 14 of the half's final 17 points, and were able to take a 37-27 lead into the halftime break. Eight of AMU's 14 points in the run were scored by junior Danielle Weinmann.
Weinmann and Miller carried the load for the Gyrenes in the first half, combining for 27 of the team's 27 points. No other AMU player had more than four points in the opening 20 minutes. Keiser was much more balanced in the first half, as eight Seahawks scored at least two points, and no Seahawk scored more than six. Keondra Smith was the leading scorer with six, converting on each of her three shots.
Ave Maria maintained the lead throughout the third quarter, with the lead getting as big as 15 points. AMU's lead never slipped below eight points, and Keiser's only eight-point deficit was immediately counted by a three-pointer from Taylor Allen The Gyrenes took a 56-44 lead into the fourth quarter, as Macarena Corral scored AMU's final five points of the quarter to maintain the double digit lead.
Although Keiser outscored the Gyrenes 17-14 in the fourth quarter, AMU's lead was never in major jeopardy. Keiser could only manage to cut the Ave Maria lead to nine points with 5:40 to play, which was immediately followed by a jumper from Megan Allen and a deep three-pointer from Taylor Allen that pushed the Gyrene lead back to 14. A three-pointer with eight seconds left got Keiser back within nine, accounting for the 70-61 final score.
Four Gyrenes were in double figures, led by 19 points from Weinmann. Miller added her usual double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Corral logged 12. Syanne Rowe rounded out the double figure scorers with ten points, and she also added seven rebounds. Keiser's leading scorer was Emily Patton, who posted 13 points.
Another crucial game awaits the second place Gyrenes on Saturday at the Tom Golisano Field House. The 6-1 Gyrenes will take on the 4-2 Johnson and Wales Wildcats at 2 p.m. in Ave Maria. A victory over the Wildcats would set up a battle for first place with No. 2 Southeastern next Saturday, a game that would also be played in Ave Maria.
