Feb. 22—The visiting Chapman Lady Irish used a balanced scoring attack led by senior Elyssa Frieze’s game high 22 points to win over the Abilene Cowgirls 59-47. Also contributing and scoring in double figures were Keira Jones with 16 points, and Ava Locke with 12 points.
Abilene would grab an early 8-4 lead at the 4:22 mark of the opening quarter as Claira Dannefer would score six points in the early run. The lead would change moments later as a pair of Frieze baskets highlighted by a made three-pointer would help turn the tide. A Jones made pair of free throws, and a Locke made three-pointer would close the Lady Irish scoring in the quarter.
A second Callie Powell inside basket at the buzzer would cut the lead, and have Chapman leading by two at 14-12 after one quarter.
After a pair of opening second quarter made free throws by Powell would tie the game at 14-14, the Lady Irish would respond by finishing the half on a 14-5 scoring run. The swing in momentum would change at the 6:20 mark when Frieze would connect on a made three-pointer while being fouled. The made free throw would complete the rare four point play. A pair of Jones inside baskets, another Frieze basket, and a Locke made three-pointer would extend the Chapman lead to 27-15. Both Powell and Dannefer would each add baskets for the Cowgirls to finish the half while Adelynn Kirkpatrick would score a basket for the Lady Irish for the 29-20 halftime score.
Chapman would open the second half with a 6-2 run led by Jones’s pair of baskets. Both teams would then proceed to attempt multiple free throws the remainder of the quarter. Frieze would lead the scoring during the mid quarter stretch for the Lady Irish with five points, that would give them a 41-24 lead.
An 8-2 Cowgirls run to close the third quarter would cut the lead down to 11 points to close the quarter. Eden Bathurst, and Makenna Stover would score multiple points, while Hannah Walter would add a final basket at the buzzer.
Abilene would try and chip away at the lead in the final quarter, but would only be able to get back to within eight points. Frieze, Jones, and Locke would all three combine to score 15 points to close the game for the Lady Irish that finalized the game score with a 12-point 49-47 victory.
Abilene’s final scoring effort to get back in the game was aided by made threepointers by Stover, Renatta Heintz, and Blair Adams.
The Cowgirls were led in scoring by Powell with 10 points, and Dannefer with 9 points. Abilene will finish their regular season this coming Thursday with an at home game against Clay Center.
Scoring Summary:
Chapman 59, Abilene 47
Chapman 14 29 43 59
Abilene 12 20 32 47 Chapman (8-12, 2-7): Elyssa Frieze 22, Keira Jones 16, Ava Locke 12, Adelynn Kirkpatrick 6, Avery Baer 3.
Abilene (0-19, 0-9): Callie Powell 10, Claira Dannefer 9, Renatta Heintz 7, Makenna Stover 6, Hannah Walter 5, Eden Bathurst 5, Blair Adams 3, Kit Barbieri 2
JV Game:
Chapman 32, Abilene 30
