DELAND, Fla. - Stetson battled against the ASUN league leaders Florida Gulf Coast University but ultimately fell, 67-57, Saturday afternoon in the Edmunds Center.
After a loss to the Eagles ( 24-3, 12-1 ASUN) on the road, our Stetson Hatters (11-15, 5-8 ASUN) brought the battle to home base in the Edmunds Center in hopes of redemption.
Jamiya Turner started the scoring off for the Haters when she knocked down a two-point jumper, but the Eagles answered back with a shot behind the three-point line only moments later. Jordan Peete fired up the Hatters with a three-pointer, followed by a layup from Jaelyn Talley at the 6:23 mark. The two competitors stayed close through the middle of the frame, 10-9 with 5:15 left after two successful free-throws by Kiya Turner. After some back-and-forth play, the first quarter ended 22-13 as the Eagles gained momentum and stretched their lead.
Khamya McNeal starts off the second quarter right with a three-pointer. This was followed immediately with an assist from McNeal to Skylar Treadwell, who followed suit and knocked down another 3-point play closing the gap 24-21. Stetson traded baskets with the Eagles until the close of the half. McNeal drops a three with only 33 seconds left in the half, keeping the hatters within reach 30-33.
K. Turner closes the gap at the beginning of the second half with a layup, closing in on the Eagles within one point. After some continuous back-and-forth, Peete puts the hatters in the lead 43-42, with a potential 3-point-play after being fouled during her drive to the basket. The Eagles regained their lead, but Stetson stayed close with a steal from Treadwell and a layup by Talley to close out the third quarter, 50-47.
While Stetson stayed competitive with the Eagles, the Hatters were unable to close the gap as FGCU took a 67-57 win.
Kiya Turner paced the Hatters scoring 18 points. Jordan Peete also scored double figures with 13 points with Jaelyn Talley falling only one point shy with a team-high seven rebounds. Khamya McNeal scored seven points along with four rebounds.
The Hatters now face a pair of opponents from the volunteer state. First Stetson faces Austin Peay on Thursday night in the Breast Cancer Awareness Game, tipping off at 7 p.m. Saturday, SU will face Lipscomb.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS (PDF).
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