WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

In a battle between two teams receiving votes in the season’s first national poll, it was the #RV HU women’s basketball team that outlasted the #RV Aquinas Saints 70-55 at the Sturrus Center Saturday afternoon.

The win is the Foresters’ second against a WHAC opponent in less than 24 hours with the first a 30-point blowout at Cornerstone last night.

The Saints, picked to finish third in the WHAC, enjoyed an early 5-0 lead for their largest advantage of the day. Still clinging to a 15-14 lead with just under four minutes left in the quarter, AC watched their advantage vanish for good when Maddie Richer knocked down a pair of freebies.

HU would go on to begin the distancing process with Casey Morton draining a three just before the first break for a 23-18 lead heading into the second quarter where Richer buried two long balls and Sam Hammel went a perfect 4-for-4 from the field to spearhead a 21-point quarter and 44-32 halftime disparity.

Five different Foresters scored in the third quarter to swell the lead to as many 17. Hammel opened up the final stanza with a layup for HU’s largest lead of the day at 61-42 before the Saint made one final push at a comeback by cutting things to 12 with just over three minutes remaining.

Erica Zook put the damper on their plans by sneaking in behind the defense for an easy layup on the ensuing possession. It stopped the bleeding as Culler’s crew went on to cruise to the 15-point win.

Hammel did a little bit of everything for the Foresters by posting a game-best and career-tying 21 points to go along with topping the contest in assists with five and steals with four. Richer canned four threes on her way to scoring 16 points. Brooke Saylor tallied her first double double of the year with ten points and a game-best 11 rebounds.

Bri Spica and Michaela Faber scored 11 and ten points respectively to pace the Saints.

HU (2-1) capitalized on 19 Aquinas turnovers to the tune of 18 points and also cashed in on 14 offensive rebounds for 12 points.

The Foresters’ home opener is Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. against Holy Cross.