Mars Hill, NC – Southern Wesleyan fell to the Mars Hill Lions on Saturday afternoon in an 84-64 final score.
The Warriors shot 36.7% from the field and were 70.8% from the free throw line in the loss to the Lions. Asia Pearley led the team with 21 points during the game. Taylin Smith and Lexie Ransom each had eight points. Of the seven assists, both Smith and Kaliah Kendrick had three.
Southern Wesleyan collected 33 rebounds during the game with both Asia Pearley and Rahkhia Mack recording five rebounds. Kyra Price had four rebounds. Kaliah Kendrick and DeYana Hayes blocked two attacks by the Lions. The Warriors picked up seven steals with both Taylin Smith and Alexis Glover having two.
Game Vitals
Final: Mars Hill 84, Southern Wesleyan 64
Records: Southern Wesleyan (0-2) Mars Hill (2-0)
How It Happened
An early foul by the Lions sent Peyton Looky to the free throw line. Looky sunk her first free throw to give the Warriors the early advantage. Elyseia Brown laid the ball up into the basket to allow Mars Hill to take the lead. Taylin Smith passed the ball beyond the arc to Asia Pearley who put up a three pointer to allow Southern Wesleyan to take a 4-2 point lead. Mars Hill countered as a three pointer by Maddie Gillie put the Lions up by three. The Lions pressed on as Tateyoina Harris and Gillie each put up jump shots. Mars Hill continued to deter the Warriors offense until Asia Pearley put the ball up into the basket. The Warriors chipped away at the Lions lead with a jump shot by Kaliah Kendrick.
Southern Wesleyan kicked off the second quarter with a layup by Rahkhia Mack. However, the Lions took a nine point lead as Maddie Gillie sunk a shot from beyond the arc. Daisy Gale hit a three pointer. Asia Pearley wove around the defense and laid the ball up into the basket from in the paint. A layup by Rahkhia Mack put the Warriors back within ten points. With just under six minutes on the clock, Jadiyah Peoples hit a three pointer to extend the Lions lead to 38-25. Pearley hit back-to-back layups to allow the Warriors to cut the Lions lead down to eight. However, Mars Hill hit a last second three to allow them to take a 48-32 point lead going into halftime.
The Lions continued to push ahead in the third quarter as a foul by Asia Pearley allowed Tateyoina Harris to make shots from the free throw line. Maddie Gillie hit another three pointer, and then Elyseia Brown laid the ball up into the basket to give Mars Hill a twenty-three point lead. Lexie Ransom collected a pass from Taylin Smith from beyond the arc and hit a three pointer. Pearley hit a jump shot to put the Warriors within nineteen, but free throws by Lauren Arnold and Daisy Gale allowed the Lions to regain their twenty-three point lead. Peyton Looky laid the ball up into the basket in the final seconds of the third quarter to put the Warriors behind the Lions 64-43.
Southern Wesleyan attacked quickly in the last quarter of the match as Taylin Smith hit a jump shot. Smith passed the ball out to Asia Pearley who sunk a three pointer. Mars Hill scored a basket of their own, but Lexie Ransom raced down the court and laid the ball up to keep the Warriors within sixteen. Elyseia Brown hit a three pointer. The Warriors continued to put up a fight as Kyra Price hit a basket from in the paint. Taylin Smith put up another jump shot, but the Lions maintained their twenty-four point lead on a layup by Cecilee Silver. Despite last second free throws by Kyra Price and Peyton Looky, the Warriors fell to the Lions 84-64.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will remain on the road as they travel to Gaffney, SC to take on the Limestone Saints at 5:30pm. They will host their home opener on November 16 as they welcome the Toccoa Falls Screaming Eagles to Central, SC. They will then travel to Spartanburg, SC to take on the Wofford Terriers on November 19 at 7pm in exhibition play.
