VIENNA, WV – The Kenyon women’s basketball team, fresh off their first victory of the season against Penn State Shenango, faced another tough test on Friday night against the University of Mount Union Purple Raiders, falling 73-52 in the opening game of the Jim Meagle Classic at Marietta College. The loss drops the Owls to 1-4 on the season.
The Owls showed promising signs early, taking a 15-8 first-quarter lead while shooting an impressive 46.2% from the field. First-year guard Susannah Zimmerman, who finished with 7 points and 2 assists in 18 minutes, catalyzed the offense with an impressive drive-and-dish play, finding Anissa Hardy for the team’s first basket. Hardy continued to make her presence felt, displaying persistence on the offensive glass by converting her own rebound into a left-handed layup on the following possession.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically in the second quarter as Mount Union seized control with their bench production and three-point shooting, led by Brooklyn Quinn’s game-high 13 points. Despite forcing 19 turnovers, the Owls struggled to convert these opportunities into points, managing just 7-22 (31.8 percent) shooting from three-point range.
Hardy emerged as a bright spot for Kenyon, leading all Owls scorers with 14 points and three blocks, while contributing 5 rebounds. Eva Winston added solid minutes off the bench, contributing 4 points and 5 rebounds in 13 minutes of play.
The Owls’ defense showed resilience throughout, but struggled to maintain their early offensive rhythm. Ball security proved challenging with 18 turnovers, and the team found themselves particularly tested in transition defense, allowing 12 fast-break points.
The Owls will look to bounce back in their second game of the Jim Meagle Classic against host Marietta College, with tip-off scheduled for tomorrow at 2:30 pm.
