GRANVILLE – It wasn't quite the start of the season the Wilmington College women's basketball team envisioned as a lackluster second period cost the Fightin' Quakers, and Wilmington fell to Denison, 64-49, Saturday at the Livingston Gymnasium.
"We looked like it was our first game of the season," said Wilmington head coach Jerry Scheve. "We started out okay, and then started doing things that we don't normally do. And add to that, we weren't making shots."
Wilmington shot 26.8 percent (19-of-71) from the field and 12.5 (3-of-24) from the three-point line.
The Fightin' Quakers trailed by just two points entering the second period, but the Big Red opened by scoring 11 straight points and held WC to just four points during the 10-minute period.
"It was one of those periods when things went from bad to worse," said Scheve. "They just had some players step up and make shots."
WC was able to trim its deficit in the third period as junior Brittaney Jefferson (Dayton, OH/Chaminade Julienne) scored seven of her team-high 13 points. Jefferson shot just 5-of-20 in tallying her 13 points, and she added six rebounds and three assists.
Sophomore Savannah Hooper (Leesburg, OH/Wilmington) added a career-high 10 points on 4-of-14 shooting. Junior Mary Moyer (Martinsville, OH/Clinton-Massie) added seven boards with five points.
Freshman Makenzie Campbell (Cincinnati, OH/Turpin) added seven points and a team-high seven rebounds in her collegiate debut.
In addition to the play of Campbell, Scheve was impressed with sophomore Emily Harman (Versailles, OH/Versailles) and A.J. Arling (Minster, OH/Minster).
"Emily Harman and the two freshmen played like I hoped they would play," said Scheve. "Our veterans didn't. However, I still have complete confidence in our veterans."
Wilmington (0-1) will host the Damon's/Hampton Inn Tip-Off Classic Friday and Saturday. The Fightin' Quakers hosts Mount St. Joseph at 6 p.m., followed by Franklin versus DePauw.
