Bethany handed loss at Marietta, 78-52

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

MARIETTA, Ohio (Nov. 27) - The Bethany College women's basketball team was dealt a 78-52 loss by Marietta in the Jim Meagle Turkey Shoot Championship Game Sunday afternoon.

The loss sends the Bison to 2-3 overall, while the Pioneers improve to 5-1 this season.

Junior forward Kelsea Daugherty (Newport, Ohio/Frontier) registered her third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. Junior guard Maclaine Murad (Bridgeport, Ohio/Bridgeport) and sophomore guard Ashley Duthie (Madison, Ohio/Madison) each tallied nine points, with Duthie chipping in seven boards and four assists.

Marietta opened up an 18-6 lead over the first eight minutes, but buckets by Murad, Duthie and Daugherty in the final minute of the first quarter trimmed the Bison deficit to six, 19-13, heading into the second period.

Bethany kept the momentum to open the second period. The Green & White went on an 8-2 run over the first six minutes of the quarter to even the score at 21-21. Marietta went 1-for-11 from the field during the stretch that helped the Bison tie the game with 4:47 left until halftime.

Both teams traded baskets over the next three minutes, leading to a 30-30 tie score entering the final minute of the first half, but Marietta rolled off a pair of buckets to enter the break ahead 34-30.

The Pioneers assumed control of the game in the third quarter. Marietta out-scored the Bison 22-5, limiting Bethany to a 2-for-12 performance from the field to take a 56-37 lead after three quarters. The Bison were unable to cut into the Pioneer lead in the fourth quarter, sending them to a runner-up finish in the tournament.

After shooting over 50 percent from the field the night before, the Bison finished the contest 19-for-58 (32.8 percent) from the field. Bethany committed 21 turnovers which directly led to 28 Pioneer points.

Marietta also showed off its depth by holding a 52-5 advantage in bench points.

After the game, Daugherty and senior guard Hayley Holenka (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside) were each named to the all-tournament team.

The Bison kickoff Presidents' Athletic Conference play on Wednesday, November 30 when they host Waynesburg at 6 p.m.