V-Hawks Drop Season Opener at St. Ambrose

DAVENPORT, Iowa – The Vitebro University Women's Basketball team dropped their season opener 66-57 at St. Ambrose University (Iowa) on Sunday afternoon. The V-Hawks fall to 0-1 while the Fighting Bees improve to 1-0.

 Nicole Johnson scored the first points of the season for the V-Hawks, following an offensive rebound, and did the same in the following possession to even the score 4-4 one minute in. Emma Wagner put in the V-Hawks first 3-pointer at 5:53 on an assist from Johnson. Abby Wolter scored four points in a 10-0 run for the Bees to go up 18-7 that was broken by Tyreesha Baylock's jump shot at 2:06. Ellie Hoesley opened the 2^nd quarter with a three for the V-Hawks, and Caroline Cool's three put St. Ambrose up by as much as 13 in the second. Natalia Leguizamon converted an and-one with just two second left in the half to close the deficit to 29-37 going into the break.

An 11-0 run in the third quarter, seven coming from Leguizamon, brought the game within two, 40-42 at 3:44. Kylie Wroblewski broke the run with an and-one. Johnson's free throws closed out the third period with the V-Hawks trailing by five. Megan Miedema's jump shot brought the score back to a one- possession game, 48-51, at 9:45. Kaitlyn Kennedy's jump shot closed the gap to just one, but the Bees outscored the V-Hawks 6-2 over the final 2:18 to help claim the 66-57 win.

St. Ambrose narrowly outshot Viterbo, 34.8%-33.8%, including 18.8%-16.7% from three, outrebounded the V-Hawks 54-38, and had 17 assists to Viterbo's six. Viterbo did force 19 turnovers and scored 22 points off those.

Leguizamon led the V-Hawks with 15 points, Johnson had eight points, 12 rebounds and two blocks, while Wagner added four points and three steals.

Jaynee Prestegaard led the Bees with 20 points and three blocks, Wroblewski recorded a game-high 13 rebounds, and Mel Stewart led all players with four assists.

The V-Hawks return to action on Friday, November 4 at Hannibal-LaGrange University (Mo.).