Starting Five Produces Big Numbers in Key Road Victory

GOSHEN, Ind. – The Taylor women's basketball team (7-10, 2-5 CL) snapped a three-game losing skid in a crucial 79-72 Crossroads League victory over Goshen (8-9, 3-4) Saturday afternoon on the road. The Trojans never trailed in the contest, and they shot a season-high 50.0 percent (30-60) from the floor, with 75 of the team's 79 points coming courtesy of the starting lineup.

TU started the game by scoring on its first four possessions to take an early 8-0 advantage. Goshen came back to tie it at 14 apiece through the opening 10 minutes of play.

As it had done in the first quarter, Taylor began the second period on another scoring run, as TU scored nine straight points to lead 23-14. Hope Custer and Jillian Osswald had the hot hands from deep, as both guards splashed home a pair of triples in the quarter as the Trojan lead ballooned to 32-18. The Maple Leafs did not go away, however, and they closed the gap to 37-29 at halftime.

Custer led TU in scoring in the first half with 14 points, 11 of which came in the second period. Taylor Westgate played through early foul trouble to put up eight points in the half, while Claycee West racked up four assists in the game's initial 20 minutes.

Taylor used a quick 5-0 burst to begin the second half, and Ava Henson buried back-to-back three-pointers to push the lead to 14. The senior made another important trey to stem the tide as Goshen battled to cut its deficit just five points late in the period. A left-elbow jumper from Kacey Ott at the buzzer swung the momentum back in favor of the Trojans and pulled them ahead 56-49 with one quarter remaining.

Westgate was dominant inside the paint with nine points scored throughout a back-and-forth final period that saw the Maple Leafs make it a three-point game at 65-62 with five minutes remaining. Osswald and Henson then combined to go on a 6-0 run, and the Trojans were able to seal the win from there.

Four players nearly reached 20 points for Taylor in the contest, led by Westgate's 19-point, five-rebound and four-assist stat line. Custer, Osswald and Henson each poured in 18 points, with Custer finishing her day with a game- and career-high six assists.

Defensively, Osswald and West led the way with three and two steals, respectively, as the Trojans forced 17 turnovers to win the turnover battle by six.

TU returns home to Odle Arena on Wednesday, Jan. 17, to play Huntington (9-8, 3-4 CL). Opening tip is slated for 5:30 p.m.