ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Presbyterian College Blue Hose women's basketball team (10-7, BSC: 1-1) beat the UNC Asheville Bulldogs (6-9, BSC: 0-2) 55-46 after quickly gaining a solid lead in the first quarter.
 
COACH SHARP'S THOUGHTS
"This was a big bounce back win for the team. We came out really ready to play. In the first five minutes of the game we had unbelievable intensity and ball movement. We hunted the paint with the ball and that's what we wanted to do."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter – Asheville won the opening tip, but some great defense from the Blue Hose allowed them to take the first eight points of the game led by six from Mara Neira. After a timeout from the Bulldogs they took their first basket of the game before Tilda Sjökvist scored a three-point bucket to give PC a 11-2 lead. The Blue Hose outscored the Bulldogs 8-6 before the end of the first quarter to hold an eight-point lead with a score of 19-8.
 
Second Quarter – Presbyterian scored nine of the first 11 points of the second quarter led by a three from Christina Kline and four points from Sjökvist. This gave PC a 20-point lead with a score of 30-10 and 5:25 remaining in the half. The Bulldogs took the last nine points of the first half, but PC held an 11-point lead with a score of 30-19 at halftime.
 
Third Quarter – UNCA scored the first basket of the second half, but after over two scoreless minutes, Brady answered with a layup. Not long after Neira scored a three-point basket, but Asheville answered with one of their own to keep Presbyterian's lead at eleven with a score of 35-24. Neira took another two points, but the Bulldogs went on to score the next four points which brought PC's lead down to nine points. After some back and forth, Brady scored a last second layup to keep Presbyterian's lead at nine points at the end of the third quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter – Sjökvist made a foul shot to start the final quarter of play before the Bulldogs scored two points. The Blue Hose went on to score the next 10
points behind three pointers from Neira, Sjökvist and Kline. The Bulldogs ended Presby's run with a two-point jumper, but Presbyterian led by 16 with 2:14 to play. Asheville scored the next seven points, but ultimately Presbyterian secured the victory with a final score of 55-46.
 
NOTABLES

• Mara Neira scored 20 points and recorded six rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
• Tilda Sjökvist totaled 14 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
• Paige Kindseth came down with a season-high of eight rebounds.
• Four Blue Hose players achieved three or more assists.

 
UP NEXT
The Blue Hose continue conference play on the road with a game on Wednesday, January 10 at 6:00 p.m. against the Winthrop Eagles.