Hawks defeat Washington Adventist in home opener, 91-71


PRINCESS ANNE, Maryland -  The University of Maryland Eastern Shore women's basketball team defeated the Shock of Washington Adventist, 91-71, on Saturday night.


The Hawks jumped out to a 13 point lead after erupting for 32 points on 11 for 20 shooting in the first quarter. The pace slowed in the second quarter as WAU managed to cut the deficit down to nine, 46-37, at half.


The Hawk lead ballooned to as many as 16 in the third quarter. A 9-3 run by the Shock brought WAU back within nine heading into the fourth quarter.


The three point shooting by the Hawks helped them gain control in the final 10 minutes of play. Mya Thomas knocked down two early threes and Jala Bannerman hit from beyond the arc to help spark an 18-2 run. The Hawk lead crept up to as many as 24 when forward Ashanti Lynch scored inside to give UMES a 88-64 lead with just over two minutes remaining. UMES cruised to eventual 20-point win for the first victory of the season.


Thomas led all players with 20 points along with an impressive seven steals, four assists and eight rebounds. Lynch made seven of 11 shots to finish with 19 points and six rebounds. Jala Bannerman added 15 points and eight rebounds. Ariana Seawell recorded 10 points in the win.


"We are happy to get the win on our home floor but we have alot to work on, " Batchelor said. "Between now and Wednesday, we will emphasize better decision making and taking care of the basketball. I think tonight's game also showed us that we need to keep getting better on the defensive end of the court. As we prepare for Wednesday's game, we will have to better in every aspect of the game to be successful."


While the teams both combined to shoot 47% from the field, rebounding and bench points were a crucial factor in the outcome.


As a team, the Hawks held a 43-20 edge in rebounding which included 19 offensive rebounds. Led by Bannerman and Seawell, the Hawk bench outscored the WAU reserves, 56-28.


The Hawks will return to the home floor on Wednesday against Stony Brook at 5:30 pm.