WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The third quarter continues to be the Achilles heel of the Huntington women’s basketball team. Playing back-and-forth with the #15 Knights of Marian, HU kept it two-possession game in the first half before things unraveled in the third on the way to a 76-58 loss to MU at the Physical Education Center Saturday afternoon.

After a defensive scuffle that was the first half, the Knights nearly doubled their point total in the third quarter to turn what was a close contest into a skewed affair. The Foresters held Marian to just 27 first half points while totaling 21 points themselves for a six-point difference by intermission.

Defense made up for what HU lacked offensively until the third quarter. Marian spent the first ten minutes of the second frame quickly making up for lost time by going off for 25 points, just two points shy of matching their first half total, to race out to 52-35 advantage with a quarter to go. Despite outscoring their hosts by one in the fourth, Huntington couldn’t overcome their third quarter woes to make for the lopsided finish.

Kenna Kirby was the key to the Knights’ third quarter success. She scored on three straight possessions late in the quarter to fuel an 11-2 run that ended the third. Huntington North product Taylor Double also got in on the action by dropping in a pair of threes in a ten-minute segment that saw MU outscore HU 25-12 to blow the game wide open.

Kirby finished with a game-best 16 points to go along with six boards and four assists. Three other Knights in Kiley McNally, Double and Olivia Faust added ten points apiece to make for a balanced Marian attack. Abbey McNally ripped down 22 boards, seven on the offensive glass, to enjoy game-high rebounding honors.

Liv Raby and Gabi Melby each netted 13 points to pace Huntington while Annaka Nelson totaled 12 points. Melby dished out seven assists. Addie Shank came off the bench to post eight points and a team-leading seven rebounds, three of which were of the offensive variety.

With this loss, HU drops to 8-7 overall which includes a 2-3 record in CL action while Marian improves to 12-3. The Knights are tied with IWU atop the conference standings with both clubs sporting a perfect 5-0 record. Huntington returns to Platt Arena on Wednesday to host Grace at 5:30 p.m.