Eagles Continue to Improve in Loss to Maranatha

By Jon Crossman

WATERTOWN, Wisconsin – After being gone for just under a week from the basketball grind, the lady Eagles hit the hardwood against Maranatha in a battle for each teams' first win of the season. Arriving back in the gym a few days prior to the game, the Eagles had time for preparation and used their practice sessions to work on ballhandling and avoiding easy turnovers. Even though the game against Maranatha didn't go quite as planned, the Eagles improved with the least turnovers in a game (22) and the most points scored in a game (53) so far in a season. Slow and steady, improvement for the Eagles is shining through on the court.

Along with their shift in play, Faith made some changes to the starting lineup too, rolling out freshman Sarah Iler as a guard up top. The defense had a tough start for the ladies, with the Sabercats pouncing on several early shooting fouls and easy rebounds to start off with an 8-0 lead over the Eagles. Rachel Kleczka, a dependable powerhouse in the paint, got the ball rolling for Faith with a layup four minutes into the game. Maranatha's sharpshooters retaliated with an offensive onslaught, ending the first quarter with 40% shooting beyond the arc in three-pointers and a 10-point lead. The Eagles remained patient going into the second quarter, denying any passes into the paint. This tense playing style led to a small comeback thanks to Makenna Laib's seven points, with the score being cut down to 14-21 at the 5:55 minute marker. Sensing the comeback, Maranatha surged forward to regain control, ending the first half with an 18-point lead, but with 15 total team fouls.

Starting the second half off with some electricity, Makenna Laib drained a shot from downtown, using that heat to go on a 10-point streak as the only scoring Eagle for the first three and a half minutes of the second half. Knowing they were in foul trouble, the Maranatha zone played a more conservative defense against the driving Eagles, relying more on defensive rebounds and clumsy turnovers to regain possession then deliberate swipes at the ball. Faith stayed on pace for as long as possible, even closing the gap back to a ten-point game with 5 minutes left in the 3^rd quarter. The 23 points scored from the Eagles were more then the combined points from the first two quarters alone, showing their resolve to find the scoring opportunities under pressure. An unfortunate streak of misses and ambitious behind-the-arc shots from Faith cut off any chances of keeping up the pace however, and they fell again at the end of the 3^rd to a substantial difference, 44-65.

Running out of time to find a lead, the Eagles committed several turnovers, dribbling into passing lanes with no support to pass to. Only three players managed to score for the Eagles in the quarter, with Morgan Stephens being a notable hero of the 4^th quarter by scoring the most points off the bench (4) and keeping her shooting perfect (1-1 FG and 2-2 FT) throughout the game. The Maranatha offense didn't falter either, with a deadly 50% shooting across the board. Faith's defense powered through their own foul trouble and played until the final buzzer, yielding the game 53-87 to the hometown team.

The Eagles (0-3) return home to defend the court against Oak Hills Christian College on December 5, at 3 p.m.