Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell in the season opening game against the Emory & Henry Wasps on Friday evening in an 82-62 final score.
The Warriors shot 28.8% from the field and were 23.3% from beyond the arc in the match. Sophomore guard Peyton Looky led the team with 17 points. Behind her, Savanna Nicholeson had 14 and Makayla Raines picked up 12. Looky, Emily Gamon and Danielle Earley each had two assists.
Southern Wesleyan pulled down 37 rebounds during the loss. Danielle Earley led the tea with five. She was closely followed by DeYana Hayes, Kyra Price and Emily Gamon with four rebounds apiece. Gamon led the team with two of the three blocks. The other block came from Princess McCauley. The Warriors were able to steal the ball away from the Wasps 16 times. Peyton Looky had three steals while four Warriors had two steals during the game.
Game Vitals
Final: Emory & Henry 82, Southern Wesleyan 62
Records: Southern Wesleyan (0-1) Emory & Henry (1-0)
How It Happened
The Wasps went on the attack quickly as Dot Mills laid the ball up into the basket. A free throw basket by Peyton Looky put the Warriors on the board. However, Emory & Henry would not relent on their attacks as they shut down the Warriors' offense for the next two minutes while getting several more shots in. Southern Wesleyan cut Emory & Henry's lead down to five on a jump shot by Makayla Raines. Savanna Nicholson subbed into the game and quickly knocked down her first three pointer of her collegiate career. The Wasps continued to distance themselves from the Warriors as Paige Niethammer put up a layup and then Hali Harris hit a three pointer.
An early foul in the second quarter allowed Kinley Painter to extend the Wasps lead to 24-13 as she made a free throw. Southern Wesleyan answered as Makayla Raines laid the ball up into the basket. Emory & Henry continued to distance themselves from Southern Wesleyan though as Hali Harris laid the ball up and then Lyndie Ramsey knocked down a three pointer. Ramsey hit another three to give the Wasps a 42-15 point lead with just over four minutes left in the second quarter. Peyton Looky stole the ball away from Ramsey and raced down the court before hitting a three pointer of her own. Southern Wesleyan pressed on as Makayla Raines and Looky scored in the final seconds of the quarter to put the Warriors behind the Wasps 47-22 at halftime.
Emory & Henry kicked off the third quarter with another three pointer by Lyndie Ramsey. They took a thirty point lead over the Warriors as Breanna Yarber collected a pass from Ramsey and put up a jump shot. As Peyton Looky went up for a three point attempt, Rhyan Harris fouled her to send her to the charity stripe. Looky knocked down all three free throws. The Warriors pressed on as DeYana Hayes and Makayla Raines scored back-to-back jump shots. With just over five minutes left on the clock, Savanna Nicholson collected a pass from Looky. Nicholson stepped beyond the arc and put up yet another three point shot. With eight seconds on the clock, Peyton Looky hit another three pointer. However, the Wasps answered with a layup by Tori West at the buzzer.
The Wasps collected their first point of the final quarter on a free throw basket by Paige Niethammer. Southern Wesleyan challenged as Makayla Raines and Trinity Nesbitt each laid the ball up into the basket. Savanna Nicholson knocked down another three pointer. Peyton Looky stole the ball away from Reagan Chapman and passed it down the court to Nicholson who laid it up into the basket. The Warriors continued to chip away at the Wasps lead as Trinity Nesbitt stole the ball and got it down to Princess McCauley who laid it up to put Southern Wesleyan within twenty-five points of Emory & Henry. With just under four minutes left in the game, Faith Yelton knocked down a three pointer of her own. Despite a final basket by Esther Cole, the Warriors dropped their season opening match in an 82-62 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will host the Mars Hill Lions on November 15 at 4pm. They will then hit the road to Milledgeville, GA on November 19 to take on the Georgia College Bobcats at 6pm. The Warriors will remain on the road on November 22 as they travel to St. Augustine, FL to take on the Flagler Saints.
