WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The HU women’s basketball team reserved their spot in the Crossroads League tourney with an 82-72 win over Goshen Wednesday evening at Gunden Gymnasium. The win wraps up HU’s regular season as they move to 10-18 overall, 5-13 in league play.

Konnor Gambrell had a masterful performance. The 6-0 center went off for a career-best 27 points in addition to posting six rebounds, three assists and three steals. The senior post player took matters into her own hands down the stretch to will her team to the win.

While the Foresters led more often than not as evidenced by enjoying a lead at every break, no lead was ever too safe for Maggard and crew even when they found themselves up by 13 late in the game.

HU led 66-59 after three quarters of play and then rattled off six straight points to start the fourth for the game’s largest disparity of 72-59 with seven minutes remaining. Unfortunately, the visitors got stuck on 72 for four minutes which set the stage for Goshen to slash the lead to just two points at 72-70.

Gambrell was taking a breather during most of GC’s 11-0 run but the moment she returned with three minutes to go, she was instant offense. She took the ball to the rim on her first touch and got fouled. She made the shot but not the freebie. She converted the and one on the next possession, scored down low again and then hit a pair of free throws shortly after. All of a sudden it was a nine-point game of 81-72 with :41 ticks remaining.

And the rest was history as Gabi Melby went 1-for-2 from the line to make for the final ten-point difference. As a team, HU shot 46.6 percent from the field (27-for-58) with Gambrell sinking ten of her 13 shots. The Foresters also canned 87.5 percent of their free throws (21-for-24) and finished with 16 turnovers to Goshen’s 20.

While Gambrell was nearly unstoppable at the offensive end, several other Foresters got in on the action too. Dazia Drake finished with 11 points, all in the first half. Alli Vaughn picked up where Drake left off by scoring all nine of her points in the second half. Maddy Robrock, Celeste Ryman and Gabi Melby also posted nine points apiece. Emily Seboe drained a pair of three balls and handed out a game-best five dimes.

The Maple Leafs were paced by Zion Neat’s 16 points. Sophia Eli tossed in 13 while Sadre’a Rougeau and Montasia Mcallister each added ten.

The Foresters, seeded eighth, will face top-seeded Indiana Wesleyan Tuesday in quarterfinal action of the conference tourney.