WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

The #RV Huntington women’s basketball team ran headlong into one of the NAIA’s most suffocating defenses Wednesday night, falling 72–50 to #6 Saint Francis inside the Hutzell Athletic Center.

The setback drops the Foresters to 13-5 overall and 5-3 in Crossroads League play, while the Cougars improve to 17-1 (7-1 CL) and stay perfect at home (6-0) while extending their winning streak to eight games.

Saint Francis, ranked third nationally in scoring defense, showed exactly why – holding Huntington to a season-low 50 points on 35.7 percent shooting. HU entered the night averaging nearly 75 points per game, but every touch was contested as the Cougars controlled the tempo from the opening tip. The hosts raced to a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter and never looked back.

An error-free first half helped the hosts build a 36-20 cushion at the break, and they put the game out of reach late in the third by scoring on five of their final six possessions, including four three-pointers, to stretch the margin beyond 20.

Despite the offensive struggles, Huntington showed impressive poise against one of the nation’s toughest defenses, committing a season-low seven turnovers against a Saint Francis unit that entered the night forcing chaos on nearly every possession.

Individually, Annaka Nelson and Kyndra Sheets paced the Foresters with 10 points apiece. Nelson added six rebounds, two blocks and a steal, while Sheets dished out a team-high six assists. Lauryn Merritt was flawless off the bench, going 4-for-4 from the field to finish with 10 points and three rebounds. Teegan Acres led the rebounding effort with seven boards.

A bright moment came when Kyndell Jochim returned to the lineup after an eight-game absence due to injury. True to form, Jochim wasted no time leaving her mark, knocking down a three-pointer, one of just two triples the Foresters made on the night, in her first action back.

Saint Francis was led by junior Isabella Gizzi, who poured in a career-best 24 points on 10-of-15 shooting while adding eight rebounds and three assists. Julia Mantyla knocked down three triples on her way to 15 points, while Taylor Fordyce added 11. Cali Gregory dominated the glass with 12 rebounds, anchoring a Cougar effort that out-rebounded HU 39-31.

The challenge doesn’t ease for the Foresters, who return to Platt Arena on Saturday to face #4 Marian at 1:00 p.m. in one of the toughest stretches of their season.