By: Athletic Communications Student Assistant Joe Meyer '24
BEREA, Ohio - The No. 10 nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University women's basketball team hosted the University of Mount Union in the 2023 Play4Kay Game and an Ohio Athletic Conference contest in the Ursprung Gymnasium inside the Lou Higgins Center. The Yellow Jackets rolled to a convincing 66-40 victory over the Purple Raiders.
The Play4Kay Game, that was established in 2007, raises funds for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund in the fight for finding an answer against all cancers affecting women. If you would like to know more information on the Kay Yow Cancer Fund or how you can support the BW women's basketball team its efforts, please visit https://kayyow.com/.
BW (18-2, 11-2 OAC) was led by sophomore forward Bella Vaillant (Perrysburg), as she recorded a game-high 16 points and eight rebounds in just 19 minutes of action. Sophomore guard Emily Irwin also cracked double digits, adding 13 points. The Yellow Jackets' victory was also bolstered by two players who recorded career-highs off the bench, as senior Academic All-OAC guard Izzy Andrews (Ann Arbor, Mich./Rudolf Steiner) tallied a career-high six rebounds and freshman guard Leah Riley (Cincinnati/Sycamore) added two career-highs with nine points and four rebounds.
Mount Union (6-14, 3-10 OAC) was led by senior guard Emily Cannon's team-high 12 points. Purple Raiders' senior guard Madison Hensley just missed out on a double-double, recording nine points and 11 rebounds in the losing effort.
FIRST HALF
- It took the Yellow Jackets just over four minutes to open up a double-digit lead, starting the game on a 12-2 run.
- BW then went on an 18-0 run to extend the lead to 24 points (30-6) by the midway point of the second quarter, holding the Purple Raiders scoreless for a stretch of 9:37.
- Back-to-back baskets by Vaillant and sophomore forward Caely Ressler (Napoleon) capped off an impressive first half performance by the Yellow Jackets, as they took a 38-14 lead into the break.
- BW held Mount Union to a 16.7% clip from the field during the first half, limiting the Purple Raiders to just five first-half field goals.
SECOND HALF
- A back-and-forth third quarter saw the Yellow Jackets take a 47-29 lead into the final frame.
- After Mount Union cut the lead to 16 early in the fourth, back-to-back layups by Riley sparked a 12-2 run which extended the lead to 59-33 with 5:58 to play.
- BW's impressive 66-40 victory was capped off by freshman guard Alison Menendez (Hudson), as she scored her first career points in the final minute of the game.
The Yellow Jackets return to action on Saturday, February 4, as they travel to Westerville to take on Otterbein University in the second game of an OAC men's and women's doubleheader. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. inside the Rike Center.
