Rough fourth quarter sends women's basketball to loss vs. Point Park

MIDWAY, Ky. - Fourth quarter issues continued to arise for the Midway women's basketball team Thursday, as Point Park closed on a 16-2 run to steal an 80-73 win in River States Conference action at Marshall Gymnasium.

The game appeared to be firmly in the Eagles' grasp with 7:15 remaining, as a Sereniti Webb 3-point play gave them a 71-64 lead.

Thursday marked another excellent game for Webb, who finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. She is averaging 23.2 points and 10.5 boards with three double-doubles in her last four games.

But that would be the only field goal Midway would hit on 11 attempts in the entire period, as they failed to get anything going against the Pioneers' pressure-heavy defense.

Against a team that was forcing an RSC-best 21.7 turnovers per game coming in, the Eagles had just eight giveaways through three quarters, before proceeding to have seven in the fourth.

After the teams traded the lead 11 times in the first half, the Pioneers grabbed the only lead change of the second on a pair of Aichata Ballo free throws with 3:32 to play. The Eagles tied it back up on two Alyssa Hitch free throws, but were outscored 7-0 from that point on, the lead shifting for good on an Ari Bleda jumper on the ensuing possession.

Midway, which entered the game with an RSC-leading 110 3-pointers, hit just 1-of-13 tries Thursday. The Pioneers, who were second with 106, didn't fair much better, going 2-of-19.

Kassidy Daugherty and Jaiden Douthit were also in double figures with 11 and 10 points respectively, while Jacie Chesser had nine off the bench.

Bree Howard added four assists and three steals for the 6-9 Eagles, who fall to 2-3 in the RSC. The 10-3 Pioneers are now 3-1 in conference play.

Midway looks to snap a three-game RSC skid, it's first since 1018, when it hosts Shawnee State at 1 p.m. Saturday.

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