CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Davis & Elkins women's basketball continued attacking and gave third-ranked Charleston (W.Va.) all it could handle in an 86-80 loss on Wednesday night inside the Wehrle Innovation Center.
Putting together one of its most complete offensive efforts of the season, Davis & Elkins (2-11) shot over 50% through the first three quarters. The Senators made a season-high 11 three-point field goals and placed four players in double figures against the undefeated Golden Eagles.
Jamiyah Johnson secured a double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds and
Allie Taylor had a career-high 22 points for the Senators.
Jessica Eadsforth-Yates fired in 16 points and
Amiah Banks posted 10 markers for D&E.
Charleston (13-0) received a game-high 26 points from Brooklyn Pannell, the reigning USBWA National Player of the Week. Pannell grabbed four rebounds and added three assists and three steals while playing all 40 minutes.
Erykah Russell had 20 points for the Golden Eagles with Trinity Polacio chipping in 13. Anastashia Zakharova recorded 12 points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds for UC.
Davis & Elkins got off to a much better start this time around against the Golden Eagles, trailing just 22-20 after the opening quarter. The Senators kept pace with Charleston, down by three at 45-42 following the first half. D&E went 7-for-15 (46.7%) from deep in the opening half and held an 18-15 edge on the glass. Taylor fired in 16 points before halftime, hitting four of six shots from deep.
Both sides went back and forth in the opening quarter with neither side separating by more than a few possessions. Eadsforth-Yates hit a three to move the Senators ahead, 5-4, before Taylor hit a shot from beyond the arc for a 13-12 edge.
The Golden Eagles outscored D&E, 12-3, to begin the second frame before the Senators answered back. A 7-2 run for the Senators, capped by a triple for Eadsforth-Yates, brought D&E back to within 38-35 with 4:07 left in the opening half.
Charleston surged out of the gates with a 9-0 run to begin the second half, jumping ahead 54-42 with 7:36 left in the third. The Senators countered with a layup from Johnson and three-pointer from
Abbie Bartenslager, her first of the season, to get back to within 63-60. After a stop, Johnson made an and-one layup, tying the score at 63.
Charleston used another scoring spurt, this time a 9-2 outburst, to end the third and take a 74-62 advantage heading into the fourth. Pannell dropped in a layup to push the UC lead to 10 at 74-64 as the hosts kept the lead.
Amiah Banks canned a three, brining the Senators back to within five at 76-69. An Eadsforth-Yates jumper sliced the deficit to 82-78 but the Golden Eagles converted at the line down the stretch to preserve the victory.
Davis & Elkins returns to action on Wednesday, February 24 to host West Virginia State at 5:00 PM from the McDonnell Center for the home finale.
