ATHENS, Tenn.— Montreat College's women's basketball squad went on the road to play the Tennessee Wesleyan University Bulldogs in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup Wednesday evening. The Cavaliers returned home with an 85-71 victory after the 40-minute affair in the Volunteer State. With the result, the visitors moved to 4-5 overall and 2-2 in the AAC. TWU dropped to 4-4 in total and 3-3 in the conference.
The Cavs started the first quarter with a layup from
Ayanna Varela, taking their only lead of the opening half. Despite initial success in the paint, Montreat faced difficulty maintaining momentum, with turnovers hindering progress.
Sarah Williams contributed by scoring inside, but the team struggled to connect from beyond the arc, missing all five 3-point attempts in the opening quarter. Tennessee Wesleyan capitalized on Montreat's turnovers, establishing a notable lead. By the end of the first period, the Bulldogs held a 24-10 advantage over the guests.
In the second frame of play, the Cavs crawled back, narrowing the gap with efficient scoring in the paint. Williams contributed early with impactful plays, converting a layup and securing a steal that resulted in another score.
Samiah Mitchell supported defensively with key rebounds, while
Rymiah Sanders added to the offensive push with made free throws and a layup. Even with TWU's attempt to maintain its lead, the Cavaliers' resilience helped them outscore the home team 24-16 in the quarter. The visitors' defensive intensity and scoring consistency reduced the deficit, and the hosts led at the half, 40-34.
Both teams started the third quarter by trading baskets on six straight possessions. All six Cavs' points came from
Bayleigh Winkler and were assisted by
Laila Harvey and Sanders. That helped shift the momentum as Montreat tied the game at 51 with a 3-pointer from Williams after Sanders made two consecutive layups. The Cavaliers continued to build on their performance, with
Trinety Dajuste banking in a crucial 3-pointer to regain control 56–53.
Ania Sands also drilled a trifecta, and from there, Montreat didn't look back. The guests outscored Tennessee Wesleyan 29–13 in the quarter, closing the frame with a commanding 63–53 lead.
Montreat began the final period with a significant edge and maintained control throughout. The visitors' defensive rebounding limited the Bulldogs' second-chance opportunities, while Williams and Sanders contributed crucial points in the paint. As the quarter progressed, Montreat continued to apply pressure, with
Ella Kate Walraven adding a layup following her own steal. Consistent scoring, including key free throws by Harvey, allowed the Cavs to keep TWU at bay. The game concluded with the Cavaliers maintaining their advantage, ending the contest with a score of 85–71.
Two Montreat players had over 20 points. Winkler led the squad with a season-high 22 points while Williams was right behind with 21, one off her season-best. She was the only Cavalier player to make more than one triple. Sanders totaled 17 points, shooting 7-for-12 all around. Both Winkler and Mitchell had the most rebounds with six, but three other Cavaliers had five rebounds as well. Williams and Sanders had two steals apiece, and Winkler added two blocks to her night. Harvey facilitated the offense with a team-high six assists and added five points to go along with four rebounds.
"This was a big-time road win against a really tough opponent," said head coach
Jamie Moore. "We shared the ball and showed resiliency through the runs. Our transition game and our inside game made the difference. I really feel like everyone did their job well tonight."
The Cavaliers shot 50.7 percent from the floor (34-67 FG), their best mark so far this season. The Cavs also surpassed 20 assists for the third time this year. The three blocks the Cavaliers totaled were the most in a game on the season as well. The visitors led the way in multiple statistical categories. Montreat had more rebounds (42-30), assists (21-12), points in the paint (46-34) and bench points (36-20) than the hosts.
In their next conquest, the Cavaliers visit the Bluefield University Rams for another conference clash. The contest is set to commence on Saturday at 2 p.m.
