Snyder’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts No. 1 AU Over Jackets

Snyder’s Buzzer-Beater Lifts No. 1 AU Over Jackets

LINK – ASHLAND UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PAGE

THE TURNING POINT: Senior forward Laina Snyder hit the game-winning jumper at the buzzer to extend Ashland's winning streak to 39 games.

STAT OF THE GAME: The win was the Eagles' first on a last-second shot since the 2016 Midwest Regional quarterfinal.

They're not all going to be easy.

In a winning streak as long as the one Ashland University's women's basketball team currently is on, not all the victories will be ones going away. A reminder of that came on Saturday (Nov. 11) afternoon in Cedarville, Ohio, where the No. 1-ranked Eagles beat the host Yellow Jackets, 79-78, on a jumper at the buzzer by senior forward Laina Snyder.

The Eagles are 2-0 on the young 2017-18 season, while Cedarville is 1-1. The win was Ashland's 39th in a row, the fourth-longest in NCAA Division II women's basketball history. It also is the Eagles' 36th win in a row in the regular season, a school-record 20th consecutive victory away from home and the 17th straight W away from home in the regular season.

Snyder's game-winner came on an inbounds pass from sophomore guard Renee Stimpert, and is the closest victory during the winning streak, surpassing the 88-83 win at Bellarmine on Dec. 30, 2016. Snyder ended with a game-high 29 points to go with nine rebounds and two steals.

Sophomore guard Jodi Johnson had 14 points, senior forward Julie Worley added 13 points and junior guard Maddie Dackin chipped in with 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Ashland's defense forced 27 turnovers, negating the Eagles' 16 miscues.

For Cedarville, Regina Hochstetler led the way with 22 points, and Taylor Buckley came off the bench to score 20.

The Eagles had leads of 21-16 after the first quarter, 43-37 at halftime and 59-56 after three quarters. Ashland's advantage was 72-66 with 4:02 left in the game before Cedarville ran off six straight points to knot the game at 72.

Two charity tosses each by Johnson and Snyder put AU up 76-72, then a Hochstetler triple cut the Eagle lead to one. Down 77-75, Hochstetler hit another trey, giving Cedarville a one-point lead – and setting up Snyder's heroics.

Saturday's victory was Ashland's 150th since the start of the 2012-13 campaign (150-21).

UP NEXT: The 2017-18 home opener at Kates Gymnasium on Tuesday (Nov. 14) at 6 p.m. vs. Notre Dame College. Prior to the game, there will be a national championship ring ceremony at 5:30 p.m. Fans will be able to enter the gym starting at 4:30 p.m.

 

 

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