WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The Huntington women’s basketball team got off to a hot start Wednesday evening at Dallas Floyd Arena only to watch their advantage slip away early in the fourth quarter to suffer a 58-45 road loss to Cumberland University.

The Foresters were clicking on all cylinders to start the contest, racing out to a 23-9 lead after the first quarter. The visitors shot 60.0 percent in the opening stanza while limiting the Phoenix to just four field goals on 26.7 percent shooting. Erica Zook led the charge with nine points which included a buzzer-beating three.

HU would up their lead to as many as 16 points at 31-15 when Dazia Drake found a slashing Jenessa Hasty for an easy lay-in at the 6:01 mark of the second quarter. The hosts scored on the next possession which began their slow grind to get back in it. By halftime, CU had trimmed it to eight at 34-26.

While scoring didn’t come easy for either team to start the second half, by quarter’s end Huntington’s advantage stood at 42-40. The wheels came off for Culler and crew in the fourth. Despite getting some solid looks, HU could not get a shot to fall until the final two minutes of play. By that point, the Phoenix had built a hefty lead to cruise to the win.

Zook finished with 12 points and eight rebounds to lead Huntington in both categories. Maddy Robrock finished with ten points and six boards. Konnor Gambrell came off the bench to add eight points.

Abby Morgan topped all scorers with 18 points while Breon Oldham and Keara Sexton chipped in 16 and ten points respectively for Cumberland.

The Foresters (2-12) have a short turnaround with another game tomorrow at Midway at 3:00 p.m.