[Women's Basketball] Mustangs hold off Saints, win seventh straight

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa -- It didn't go quite as expected, but the 11th-ranked Mount Mercy women's basketball team was able to pick up its seventh straight win, defeating Ashford, 74-63, in Midwest Collegiate Conference play on Wednesday at Hennessey Recreation Center.

Coming into tonight's contest, Ashford (6-9, 2-2 MCC) had only made 65 3-pointers in 14 games, while Mount Mercy (12-4, 4-0 MCC) was 11th in the nation with 123 treys in 15 games. But the Saints were the ones hitting from long range, going 11-of-24 from beyond the arc while the Mustangs struggled to a 5-of-15 performance.

That didn't cost the Mustangs, however, who are now the only undefeated team in the MCC after Viterbo's loss at William Penn on Wednesday night. Mount Mercy led by four at halftime and then shot 58.6 percent from the floor after the break to clinch the league win. The Mustangs were outrebounded, 39-34, but forced 26 turnovers by the Saints.

Senior guards Emily Greiner and Laura Lippert scored 13 points apiece to lead Mount Mercy. Sophomore forward Amanda Frost added 12 points, junior guard Brooke Quigley narrowly missed double digits with nine. Frost also grabbed six rebounds, Quigley and senior guard Ashley Koch had four each. Quigley snagged four steals and Greiner and Frost each dished out four assists.

Gaby Ayon led four Saints in double figures with 15 points to go along with 13 rebounds. Madison Wagner nailed four 3-pointers during a 13-point night. Quinn Rear also drilled four triples to finish with 12 points and Patricia Ramos chipped in 10. Courtney Panus collected 11 boards, Ramos tallied six assists.

Mount Mercy is on the road for three straight league games, starting with Saturday's MCC contest at Waldorf at 1:00 p.m. at Hanson Fieldhouse in Forest City.