Women's Basketball | 10/28/2019 11:51:00 PM

Box Score WICHITA, Kan. – In its 2019-20 season opening contest, the Oklahoma Panhandle State University women's basketball team saw a gritty comeback effort fall short in a 73-69 loss at Friends University. Despite the setback, the Aggies (0-1) young squad gave its fans plenty of reasons to be excited for the season ahead.
 
One of the main things to be upbeat about was the tremendous balance OPSU received up and down the roster.  Of the 10 roster players to see action, all scored at least four points and shot at a high percentage. As a unit, Panhandle hit nearly 44 percent from the floor (19-44) and 37 percent (7-19) from three-point range, along with a 73 percent (24-33) night from the free throw line.
 
Despite that fact, Aggie Head Coach Victor Esparza saw plenty of room for improvement, as well.
 
"It was a tough first game and we have a lot to work on to get better," Esparza said. "We have to do better at taking care of the ball, especially on the road. We can't have 36 turnovers and expect to win. I thought our defense was really good for the most part."
 
The youthful Aggies did demonstrate a resilience and an ability the battle back in a game. In the first quarter, Panhandle trailed, 11-2, just six minute into the opening quarter of the season. But back-to-back three-point baskets by junior transfer Shaylynn Choate and Vanessa Gonzalez ignited a 12-4 run by OPSU to close to within a single point, 15-14.
 
In the second stanza, Panhandle State's ladies once more showed itself capable of a comeback, and in explosive fashion. The Aggie offense started the period slowly, not recording a field goal until the 4:13 mark. Trailing by seven points, 25-18, buckets from beyond the arc by Shay Audrain and Gonzales – followed by two free throws from Nadia Hayes and one by Kaylee Morgan – gave OPSU its first lead, 28-27, since the opening basket (by Lowendie Laporal) of the game. Another trey by Audrain helped the Aggies to a 31-29 halftime cushion.
 
Panhandle State rolled up a seven-point advantage, 42-35, midway through the third quarter.  However, within three minutes the Falcons had clawed back to not just retake the lead, but take that to a 51-46 margin heading into the fourth and final period.
 
That set the stage for yet another Panhandle run and a tense finish. With 7:34 left in the contest, Hannah Bennett made a layup and was fouled. Bennett missed the free throw and Laporal was on the spot to pick up the loose ball and net the basket to once again give OPSU a lead, 55-54. As Friends inched ahead once more, a steal by Morgan and a fastbreak layup by Bennett knotted matters at 68-68 and, with just 1:51 left, Naomi Rodriguez's free throw gave her team what would be its last lead.
 
The Falcons would score the final six points of the game for the 74-69 final score, after the Aggies failed to convert on their final two possessions.
 
The Panhandle team's balanced scoring was led by Choate with 13 points, hitting 5-of-11 from the field and 3-of-8 beyond the arc. She also grabbed two rebounds.
 
Rodriguez also tallied in double digits with 11 points in the opener, buoyed by a 7-of-8 night from the free throw stripe. Bennett narrowly missed a double-double game, scoring eight points and grabbing a game-leading 10 rebounds.
 
Three players – Gonzales, Laporal and Audrain – all booked six points, with Audrain corralling seven rebounds, as well. Another trio of Aggies, made up of Laura Moya Demures, Cassia McCaskill and Morgan, all added five points and three rebounds. Hayes' four points rounded out Panhandle's scoring.
 
OPSU will next play on November 11, when it hosts Manhattan College in a non-conference contest in Goodwell.