RALEIGH, N.C. – The Emory & Henry College Women's Basketball Team (2-0) led by as much as 35 points on Tuesday evening as it cruised to a 78-55 win over Meredith College (0-2) in non-conference play at Weatherspoon Gymnasium. The Wasps are 2-0 to start the year for the first time since the 2006-07 season.
The two teams played the first four minutes of the game to a 5-5 tie, but Emory & Henry then went on an 11-0 run to take a 16-5 lead with 3:40 to go in the opening quarter. The Wasps pushed their advantage to 24-10 at the end of the first period after back-to-back baskets by junior guard Asja Jenkins (Richmond, Va.).
E&H built is lead throughout the second stanza reaching a 20-point advantage for the first time with 1:01 to go before the half. Freshman guard Jada Penn (Radford, Va.) hit a jumper to put the Wasps up 43-22, but the Avenging Angels would get a basket before the break to make the halftime differential, 43-25.
After the intermission, Emory & Henry started off with the first 11 points of the third quarter including back-to-back three-pointers by freshman guard Hannah Cox (Lebanon, Va.) to push the advantage to 29 points (54-25). An 11-4 scoring spurt to close the third act gave the Wasps their largest lead of the night with 10 minutes to play, 68-33, after a pair of layups by senior forward Karina Farr (Graham, Wash.).
The fourth period was an opportunity for many of Emory & Henry's newcomers to see their first substantial minutes of the year. Sixteen different players recorded minutes in the contest with 11 finding the scoring column. Meredith outscored E&H, 22-10, in the quarter but the outcome of the game was certain after the first three quarters were complete.
Jenkins and Farr led all players with 14 points each. Farr pulled down five rebounds and went six-for-nine from the free throw line while Jenkins came off the bench to shoot a perfect seven-for-seven from the field in 21 minutes played to set a new career-high in scoring. Junior forward Tamara Brewster (Morrow, Ga.) scored 12 points and had six rebounds as a reserve while freshman guard Taylor Blevins (Abingdon, Va.) added nine points and seven rebounds on four-for-six shooting. Cox finished the game with eight points while junior guard Megan Jacoby (Richmond, Va.) had five points, two rebounds and nine assists.
As a team, Emory & Henry shot 48.4 percent (30-for-62) from the field including a blistering nine-for-15 (60%) pace to start the game. The Wasps held a 45-28 rebounding advantage, and pulled down 17 offensive rebounds which they converted into 14 second-chance points. E&H also led 31-11 on points off turnovers.
Meredith was paced by Laquetta Hairston, who notched 14 points and added three steals. Ashley Hudson had 12 points, and four assists while Meghan Pleasants chipped in nine points and three rebounds off the bench. The Avenging Angels shot just 38.3 percent (18-for-47) for the game, hit just two of 16 (12.5%) of their three-point attempts and had 22 turnovers.
Emory & Henry will have its home opener on Saturday afternoon as it hosts Wesleyan (Ga.) College. The Wasps will take on the Wolves beginning at 4:30 p.m.
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-photo courtesy of Caleb Johnston, E&H '15