ELKINS, W. Va. - Davis & Elkins women's basketball team got off to a fast start and did not look back in a 70-56 home victory against West Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday afternoon in Mountain East Conference (MEC) action.

Jessica Eadsforth-Yates posted a team-high 14 points on 5-of-8 from the floor and 4-of-7 from behind the arc, while Jamiyah Johnson continued her productive season with an 11 point 16 rebound double-double.

Peyton Mohler added 11 points and five boards for D&E off the bench, while Sydney Nestor rounded out the Senators in double figures with 10 points.

Abi Gabauer recorded a game-high 18 points for West Virginia Wesleyan.

D&E opened a 20-12 lead at the end of the first quarter, using a 5-1 surge to close the frame.

THE RUNDOWN 

• Davis & Elkins (5-13, 4-8 MEC) - 70
• West Virginia Wesleyan (3-15, 1-11 MEC) - 56
• McDonnell Center - Elkins, W. Va. 

HOW IT HAPPENED 

• A quick 8-0 spurt included a three from Eadsforth-Yates, layup from Johnson and jumper from Nestor for a 12-6 D&E advantage just about midway through the opening quarter. Tailyn Silver completed the hoop and harm after absorbing contact and sticking the layup at the 2:31 mark of the first for an 18-11 lead. 
• Allie Taylor stepped into a trey off a crisp kickout pass from Johnson to balloon the D&E lead to double digits at 23-11. The Bobcats clawed back, however, trimming the deficit to just three after a jumper from Courtney Wilfong at 2:52 in the second quarter. Nestor scored the next four points for D&E and Jay Kilpatrick intercepted a go-ahead pass and raced ahead for the uncontested layup with just about 10 seconds left in the half as D&E took a 34-24 edge into the intermission. 
• Abbie Bartenslager came out firing in the second half with two consecutive buckets at 9:13 and 8:44 in the third quarter.  Eadsforth-Yates followed it up with two straight baskets of her own for a 44-28 lead. A Taylor three and Reagan Sharp jumper pushed the Senator lead to 19 each time as D&E began to pull away in the third. 
• D&E reeled off a 10-2 run in the fourth quarter to make the score 66-44, but the Bobcats responded to whittle the deficit to 16 just about one minute following the final media timeout. The Senators would not let the Bobcats cut the deficit to single digits, holding on for their third straight win.  

GAME NOTES 

• D&E collected 22 points off turnovers
• Johnson picked up her 13th consecutive double-double on Saturday. 
• Eadsforth-Yates led the Senators in scoring for the third time this season, notching her eighth game with 10 or more points. 
• Mohler has now registered 11 points in three of the last four games. 

UP NEXT
 

• Davis & Elkins will now turn its attention to the second trip around the conference, hitting the road to face West Liberty on Wednesday, January 29  at 5:30 PM.

 

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