MOBERLY, Mo. – The Vincennes University Lady Trailblazers closed out their opening weekend Saturday afternoon on the final day of the Moberly Area Community College Orscheln Classic.
The Lady Blazers faced off against Mineral Area College but suffered their first loss of the earlier season by the score of 85-74.
Vincennes got off to a slow start Saturday afternoon, with the Cardinals quickly jumping out to a 20-8 lead in large part to a 10-2 scoring run in the first quarter.
The two teams would trade baskets for the remainder of the opening quarter of play, with Mineral Area leading 29-15 after the first 10 minutes of action.
Vincennes looked to bounce back in the second quarter and cut into the deficit with an 8-0 scoring run to begin the second period.
VU would then cut the Mineral Area lead down to just two points with a massive 12-0 scoring run before MAC sank a pair of free throws to end the half with a 43-39 lead.
Mineral Area again came out of the locker room firing, beginning the third quarter with an 8-0 scoring run of their own and later using six unanswered points to grow their lead to 65-47 headed into the final quarter of play.
The two teams again traded baskets throughout the first part of the final quarter, with Mineral Area earning their biggest lead of the day at 72-50 before the Lady Blazers looked to rally back late.
Vincennes would outscore the Cardinals 14-3 down the stretch of the fourth quarter but were only able to cut the deficit back down to single digits at 83-74.
Mineral Area would hit a pair of late free throws to halt the VU comeback attempt as the Cardinals came away with the 85-74 victory over the Lady Blazers.
The Lady Blazers were led offensively by freshman Taylor Guess (Indianapolis, Ind.) who came off the bench to lead VU with 16 points, six rebounds and a team-high five steals.
Guess helped lead the fourth quarter charge for Vincennes, with 10 of her 16 points coming in the final 10 minutes of play.
VU sophomore Maycee Lange (Vincennes, Ind.) was the only other Vincennes scorer in double-figures, finishing with 14 points and matching her VU career-high with 11 rebounds, notching her second collegiate double-double.
Sophomore Johnai Wimbleduff (Indianapolis, Ind.) picked up nine points off the bench, while freshman Giavonnie Belton (Indianapolis, Ind.) came away with eight points, three assists and a pair of steals.
The Lady Trailblazers will be on the road again next weekend when VU heads to Poplar Bluff, Mo. to take part in the Lady Raider Classic Friday, Nov. 10 and Saturday, Nov. 11.
Vincennes will face-off against host and No. 12-ranked Three Rivers Community College, Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. eastern, before closing out the weekend with another showdown against Moberly Area Community College Friday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. eastern.
The Lady Blazers will then hit the home floor for the first time this season when VU hosts Brescia JV in the first of five straight home games, Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 5 p.m. eastern.
VINCENNES BOX SCORE
VINCENNES (74): Giavonnie Belton 2-7 2-2 8, Makyla Tucker 0-6 6-6 6, Brie Miller 2-4 1-2 5, Elikya Baseyila 2-10 2-4 6, Maycee Lange 5-12 3-4 14, Karina Scott 1-7 3-4 6, Najra Voloder 2-5 0-0 4, Taylor Guess 4-9 8-11 16, Johnai Wimbleduff 2-10 5-6 9, Team 20-70 30-39 74.
VU (1-1) – 15 24 8 27 – 74
Mineral Area – 29 14 22 20 – 85
Three-point goals: VU 4 (Belton 2, Lange, Scott). Rebounds: VU 36 (Lange 11). Assists: VU 15 (Tucker 5). Steals: VU 13 (Guess 5). Blocked shots: VU 5 (Belton, Voloder, Miller, Baseyila, Lange). Turnovers: VU 22. Personal Fouls: VU 30. Fouled out: Tucker, Voloder, Wimbleduff.