ASHLAND, OH – Wayne State found its road trip to Ohio a difficult one as Ashland used a 13-2 run late in the game to break open a tied game as the Warriors fell, 74-66, on Saturday afternoon in Kates Gymnasium on the Ashland campus.
 
The loss drops Wayne State to 4-2 on the year and 0-2 in GLIAC play while Ashland improved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in league action.
 
Juanita Cochran (Saginaw, Mich. / Arthur Hill) led WSU with 23 points and 14 rebounds while Paige Sickmiller (Romeo, Mich.) chipped in with 14 point and Stefani Munro (Harrison Twp., Mich. / Mount Clemens) added 13 points and seven assists.  Kari Daugherty and Jena Stutzman combined for 53 points to lead the Eagles, as Daugherty scored 28 points with 13 rebonds and seven assists while Stutzman went six-for-14 from three-point to tally 25 points with seven assists.
 
“I am proud of the perseverence that we showed this afternoon,” head coach Carrie Lohr said.  “Even though we got down by a large margin in the first half, we fought back to take the lead at the start of the second half.  Then when we fell back late, we still battled to within five.
 
“Considering that we have a new staff, a new system and some new players, I am proud of where we are right now.  The team is handling everything real well and even though the results weren't there this week, if they continue to commit themselves to battle every day, than we will get better as a team.”
 
After struggling with their shooting in the opening stanza, the Warriors shot .500 from the field in the second half (14-28) and .500 from three-point (4-8) to fight back from a 40-27 halftime deficit.  After shooting .472 in the first half (17-36), including five-for-15 from three-point, Ashland cooled in the second half, making just nine of its 29 field goal attempts (.310).
 
“The difference for us offensively was our execution,” Lohr said.  “We were a little impatient in the first half, taking the first option offensively instead of running the set through until we got the best possible shot.  We also turned the ball over which led to some easy baskets.
 
“We recommitted ourselves at halftime and it showed in our play.”
 
The difference in the contest proved to be from outside as Ashland used five-for-11 three-pointing shooting in the second half to finish with 10 treys in the contest.
 
The Warriors jumped out to a quick 5-0 start as Cochran scored in the lane just 19 seconds into the contest and Sickmiller knocked down a long three-pointer at the 19:06 mark.
 
Ashland quickly answered as three-pointers from Stutzman and Daugherty put the Eagles ahead, 8-7, with 17:10 left.
 
The lead changed hands five times in the opening half, the last coming at the 11:47 mark when Chelsea Ported made a trey from the right side to put Ashland ahead, 18-16.  The basket was part of an 11-0 Eagle run that was ignited by Daugherty, who scored six points during the spurt.
 
When Daugherty connected on back-to-back hoops inside, the last coming with 9:50 left, Ashland had a 24-16 lead. 
 
After a basket by Cochran cut the deficit to six (24-18, 9:22), Ashland ran off eight straight points to build a 34-18 advantage with 5:15 left and eventually lead, 40-27 at the break.

Everything changed after the halftime break as the Warriors used three treys by Sickmiller to fuel a 15-2 run to open the second stanza to even the game at 42-42 with 16:04 left in the contest. 
 
The game was tied again at 44 before the Warriors ran off seven straight points, including five straight from Cochran, to open a 51-48 lead with 10:02 remaining.
 
“Juanita really came ready to play today,” Lohr said.  “She used her size advantage well and controlled play inside.”
 
The Wayne State offense however cooled down just as Ashland came alive.  The Eagles ran off 10 straight points, including three-pointers from Stutzman, Daugherty and Alyssa Miller, to open up a 63-53 lead with 4:50 left.
 
The Warriors would rally, closing to within five (69-64) with 2:38 left on a pair of free throws by Cochran, but Ashland scored its final five points from the line to preserve the win.
 
The Warriors return home to start a stretch that will see WSU play five of its six games at home heading into the new year when Saginaw Valley State visits the Matthaei Center for a 5:30 p.m. game on Thursday (Dec. 8) that will be a GLIAC doubleheader with the men's team also playing at 7:30 p.m.  Both Thursday's contests will air on Comcast Channel 900 with Dave Zoran and Shane Battier calling the action, while Joe Abramson will serve as the sideline reporter.