Avila Starts Strong before Falling to #16 Sterling

STERLING, Kan. – Avila women's basketball battled tough against the top team in the KCAC, going toe to toe with Sterling for the first six-plus minutes of the game before the #16 Warriors (11-4, 8-1 KCAC) pulled away down the stretch of the first quarter and ultimately cruised to an 82-58 victory over the Eagles (2-13, 2-7 KCAC) on Wednesday night in Sterling.

The first matchup between these two teams since they met in the championship game of the KCAC Tournament last season was dead even early: Avila went toe to toe with the team in first place in the conference standings for the first six minutes Wednesday, thanks in large part to precision passing and strong finishing underneath the basket.

The Eagles were able to exploit the interior of the Warrior defense in the early stages, with Avila players cutting past Sterling defenders and finishing at the rim after an incisive bounce pass on more than one occasion. That helped the Eagles trade points with the Warriors in the early going: London Foster set up Kaytee Frasher for one of those close range buckets before Foster connected on one of her own to give the Eagles a 12-8 lead with 4:44 left in the first quarter.

Unfortunately for the visitors, that's when the home team started to prove why it's the lone nationally ranked squad in the KCAC. After Foster's bucket Faith Martin scored five straight points to put Sterling back in front, and the Warriors never looked back. Sterling closed the first quarter on a 13-2 run to grab a 21-14 lead, and Avila had to play from behind the rest of the night. The Warriors were clinical from the field and better on the boards on the balance of the night, helping them shake off a somewhat slow start and ultimately earn a comprehensive 82-58 win.

A balanced offensive team as usual, five Warriors ended the night with double-digit points, led by 19 from Karsen Schultz and 16 from Taya Wilson. Frasher paced the Eagles with 12 points and five rebounds, and continued her defensive hot streak with two more blocks: over her last three games Frasher has scored 24 points and tallied seven blocks. Elsewhere on Wednesday Emily Baldwin scored 11 points and Hannah Smith chipped in 10; Foster tied a season high with seven assists; Highland Community College transfer Eireon Adams made her Avila debut and scored in the fourth quarter.

Up next, Avila women's basketball will remain on the road to start off 2023 when the Eagles travel to Hillsboro, Kansas to take on Tabor on Saturday, January 7. The women's game will tip off at 5 PM with the men to follow at 7; as always, you can watch all the action on the KCAC Network.