(Mesa, AZ)  The Park University Gilbert women’s basketball team behind two career setting 20-point games, snapped its 10-game losing streak with an emphatic 93-42 Cal Pac Conference win over Pacific Union this evening at Bell Bank in Mesa, Ariz.  The Buccaneers move to 3-10 on the season and 1-6 in conference play. The Pioneers drop to 0-13, 0-6 in conference.

“It’s nice to get back in the win column,” said Park Gilbert head coach Jeff Fore. “We have battled some adversity over the past month with injuries and illness, but this team has continued to work hard and play hard. It was good for them to bear fruit from that work.”

The Buccaneers entered the game having to deal with another injury as second leading scorer Kayla Schroederhad to sit out after injuring her ankle on the final play of the game against Embry Riddle on Tuesday. This left the Bucs with only eight players. Pacific Union was in even worse shape with only seven players rostered in the official book.

The Buccaneers came out in a full court press and went on a 23-2 run to start the game. They never looked back as they led after the first frame 33-5. Kianna Turenne paced the scoring with nine points as the Bucs shot 61 percent from the floor. Park forced 11 Pioneer turnovers in the quarter and converted those into 12 points.

The Bucs let off the gas slightly in the second quarter. They stopped the full court press, but still applied strong defensive pressure in the half court. They also saw their shooting cool off as well.  They only shot 35 percent from the field in the second quarter but still scored 21 points in the period.

Madison Chappell scored six points to go along with her eight in the first quarter tied her career high for points in the first half. Park held the Pioneers to 13 points in the half. This tied the lowest point total allowed by a Buccaneers team in a half, matching the 13 points allowed to Bethesda (Calif.) last season.

With the contest well in hand, Park Gilbert cruised in the second half. The “B” plot to this story was whether some of the Bucs players could set new season and career records. Chappell, who set a new career record with 13 rebounds versus Embry Riddle on Tuesday, tied the mark tonight.  But she was able to set a new career high in points with her first 20-point game. The 5-8 forward also posted back-to-back double-doubles for the first time in her career.

Freshman Sophie Scottnot only posted the first double digit game of her career, she did it with a flourish scoring 20 points and adding four steals. Jazmyne Jenkins who tied the school record with 18 rebounds against Ave Maria, almost reached the mark again with 17 boards on the night.

Kianna Turenne scored 15 points and pulled down seven rebounds and dished out four assists. All eight players on the Bucs bench scored on the evening.

For the game, the Bucs dominated in every category. They forced 27 turnovers, almost doubled the rebounding advantage (50-27) and the three players off the bench (Scott, Turenne and Jenny Todd) combined for 41 points.  The Bucs had 19 offensive boards which they turned into 21 second chance points.

The Bucs don’t have much time to enjoy the win as they look to make it back-to-back wins as they take on Cal Maritime tomorrow, Friday, January 6 at 5:30 p.m. at Bell Bank Park. Schroeder is listed as day-to-day and her status will be a game time decision tomorrow.

Press Release courtesy of Park University Athletics – Preston English