Daugherty's Career Night Helps Bison Women's Basketball Earn Season Sweep of Geneva

Jan. 28 – BETHANY, W. Va. – Behind another career-best performance from freshman Kelsea Daugherty (Newport, Ohio/Frontier), the Bethany College women's basketball team completed a season sweep of Geneva College, defeating the Golden Tornadoes by a score of 85-61 on Wednesday evening.

The Bison never trailed in the contest as the Green & White opened the game on an 8-2 run thanks to back-to-back baskets from Sami Schott (Caldwell, Ohio/Shenandoah). Lauren Simpson (Washington, Pa./Trinity) finished off the run with a jumper, and the Bison were out to the six-point advantage with 16:34 to play.

Geneva would hang around in the first stanza, eventually cutting the Bethany lead to three, 27-24, on a three by Lydia Songer with 7:12 left in the half. The Bison, however, would have an answer.

Bethany needed just three minutes to respond to the Geneva outburst, busting out a 10-0 run of their own. Daugherty started the run with a layup and was followed by five-straight points from Mikyla Tipton (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville). Simpson once again capped the run, this time with a three pointer, pushing the Bison advantage to 13 points (37-24) with 4:17 still to play.

Geneva would once again offer a counter move, outscoring the Green & White 13-2 over the next three minutes to diminish the Bethany lead to just two points, 39-37, with 1:46 remaining. The Bison would push the lead back out to six, 46-40, before the teams headed into the halftime break.

Bethany controlled the boards in the first half of play, outrebounding Geneva by a 23-12 advantage, which included 11 offensive rebounds, leading to 17 second-change points for the Green & White.

The Bison would completely dominate the second half, outscoring the Golden Tornadoes by 18 points in the second stanza. The ever-growing lead would reach its apex on a jumper by Carly Grady (Keyser, W. Va./Keyser), giving Bethany a 24-point lead, 83-59. The two teams would then trade buckets, and the Bison would go on to win by the same advantage, 85-61.

The Green & White locked down on the defensive side of the ball in the second half, allowing Geneva to shoot just 20 percent from the field while missing every shot from distance in the closing stanza.

Offensively, the Bison were led by Daugherty, who seems to be getting stronger as the year progresses. The freshman sensation posted career highs in both points (27) and rebounds (16). The offensive outburst marked the third-straight 20-point game for Daugherty, who became the first Bison since Jenny Place in 2005-06 to accomplish the feat. Daugherty has also now posted a double-double in five of her last seven contests.

Despite the gaudy numbers for Daugherty, the Bison victory took a complete team effort, as seven different players scored at least six points, including four in double figures. Tipton finished the game by posting her first-career double-double. The junior finished the outing with 13 points and 11 boards. Tipton, who has seen her role in the offense continually increase, has now scored in double figures in three-consecutive contests.

Other Bison who totaled double figures included Hayley Holenka (Shadyside, Ohio/Shadyside) with 12, and Simpson, who tallied 11 in the win. Schott completed the contest with eight points, while Grady and Gabrielle Naples (Salem, Ohio/South Range) posted six, each.

The Bison will continue their three-game home stand on Saturday, January 31, as they host the Tomcats of Thiel College. Game time is slated for a 2 p.m. start.