Avila Falls to League-Leading Sterling

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Avila women's basketball welcomed #21 Sterling (23-4, 20-1 KCAC) to Mabee Fieldhouse for the penultimate game of the 2022-23 season, and the league-leading Warriors lived up to the billing, getting off to a hot start and easing past the Eagles (5-22, 5-16 KCAC) 83-51 on Wednesday night.

Avila women's basketball hosted its annual Pink Out night, the team's favorite tradition, on the day after Valentine's, but the Warriors quickly dampened the mood of the party and never really allowed the Eagles to get going. Last season when Sterling came to Mabee Fieldhouse Avila got out to a fast start and forced the Warriors to change things up – this season, the Warriors flipped the script, scoring the game's first 20 points in less than four minutes to grab a commanding early lead.

But after the poor start, the Eagles started to find their groove thanks to the long ball. Emily Baldwin, Hannah Smith, London Foster and Grace Effertz all knocked down threes in the first quarter, helping Avila shoot 5-of-9 from long range as a team.

Unfortunately for the Eagles, the Warriors were lethal from the field over the first three quarters, and the Warrior defense held Avila to ten points or fewer in the middle two frames to stamp out any hopes of an Eagle rally. The Eagles were afforded only four free throw attempts in the entire game, while Sterling missed only two of their 23 attempts, a key difference in the game. The Warriors led by as many as 38 and never trailed, ultimately 83-51.

Taya Wilson led all players with 19 points along with seven rebounds. Bailey Albright scored 16, and Karsen Schultz chipped in 12 with six rebounds, six assists and five steals. Baldwin led the Eagles with 12 points, and Smith scored 11; Kayla Navy and Katelyn Ward both scored seven off the bench; Kaytee Frasher led all players with nine rebounds.

Up next, Avila women's basketball will close out the regular season on Saturday, February 18 against Tabor. Avila women's basketball will be hosting Senior Day before the game ahead of the tipoff at 3 PM; admission is $8 per person at the gate, and as always you can watch all the action live on the Avila Sports Network.