Fulton, Mo. – The Westminster College Blue Jays women's basketball team came out red hot and flew past the Fontbonne University Griffins 102-67 at Historic Gym. The Blue Jays used a 14-25 night from the three-point line to key the victory. The win gives the Blue Jays their third straight win and more importantly their first win in the SLIAC.
The game got off to a good start in the first quarter, after back to back driving layups by Reese Arnold, the Blue Jays found themselves ahead 19-10 with 1:52 remaining in the quarter. The Griffins would close the quarter on a 6-2 run to pull to within 21-16 at the end of the quarter.
The second quarter would be one to remember for the Blue Jays. Three straight buckets from Madison Schaeffer and a jumper by Arnold pushed the Blue Jay lead to double digits for the first time at 29-19 just 2 minutes into the second quarter. Arnold and Kallee Dowler would hit back to back threes to push the lead to 16. The Jays were only getting started. Freshman Shelby Kurtz would begin to put her stamp on the game. Kurtz drilled a three off of a great pass from Makayla Jackson, Avylina Powel-Qualo hit a driving layup and Kurtz hit another three to put the Blue Jays up 20 at 45-25 with 4:25 to go before halftime. Kurtz would add two more buckets for a ten-point quarter and helping the Blue Jays to a 35-point second quarter overall that found the Jays up 56-33 halftime lead.
The Blue Jay would never be threatened the rest of the way. Another Dowler three and an Abbie Reece lay-up extended the lead to 30 at 68-38 and the only thing that was in doubt would be whether or not the Blue Jays would reach the century mark. Chloe Akerson would answer that question as her three pointer with 1:19 left in the game would eclipse 100 points as the Jays led 102-64.
The Westminster offense was led again by Reese Arnold with 27 points in 26 minutes on 11-19 shooting. Arnold was one of five Blue Jays in double figures. Kurtz added a career high 17 on 7-8 from the field and 3-3 from three-point range. Schaeffer joined Kurtz in recording a career high chipping in 16 points on 7-9 shooting. Dowler knocked down five threes on the way to 15 points. Powel-Qualo rounded out the double figure scorers with 11 points while also recording her second double-double in a row adding 11 rebounds.
The Blue Jays outrebounded the Griffins 35-31. Powel-Qualo led the way with 11 followed by Schaeffer with seven. Abbie Reece led the Jays with 5 assists followed by Arnold with four. Westminster shot 46.6% from the field compared to the Griffins 33.8%. The Blue Jays shot a blistering 56% from three-point range.
The Blue Jays will be back in action this coming Wednesday when they travel to Iowa Wesleyan University. The game is set for a 5:30 p.m. tip off.
