PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The No. 15 Otterbein women's basketball team put together a dominant performance on Saturday afternoon, cruising to a 97-45 road victory over La Roche at the Kerr Fitness & Sports Center. The Cardinals had seven players score at least eight points, while forcing 30 turnovers and recording 15 steals.
Kyla Irby and Anna Waskiewicz paced the Cardinals with 17 points apiece. The 17 points marked a season-high for both Irby and Waskiewicz, as well as a career-high for Waskiewicz. Irby finished 7-for-11 from the floor, while Waskiewicz was perfect from the field at 6-for-6. Cameron Sparks and Mattie Walburn also reached double figures, adding 10 points apiece. Nicole Terry, Addison Hill, and Madilyn Stechschulte each recorded season-high scoring performances with eight points apiece.
Abby Rawlings and Kennedie Hill paced the team with three assists each. Waskiewicz and Terry led Otterbein on the boards with six rebounds apiece, while Stechschulte added five rebounds. Irby recorded her first two blocks of the season, marking a career high and leading the Cardinals, while Sparks added one more.
The Cardinals came out strong, opening the contest with six unanswered points, all scored by Irby, to establish an early lead. Sparks added back-to-back baskets midway through the quarter, while Terry and Waskiewicz contributed at the free-throw line to help Otterbein close the opening frame with a 19-4 advantage.
La Roche found some momentum early in the second quarter, trimming the deficit to 19-8, but the Cardinals quickly responded. Sparks scored twice inside, and Waskiewicz added a layup as Otterbein pushed its lead to 25-8. After the Redhawks brought the margin back to 11, the Cardinals put together another strong stretch, with Rawlings, Walburn, Irby, and Kennedie Hill all contributing to a 12-3 run. Stechschulte and Terry helped finish the half with four consecutive baskets, sending Otterbein into the break with a commanding 49-17 lead.
Otterbein continued to control the game coming out of halftime, scoring the first four points of the third quarter through Walburn and Waskiewicz. Irby added a three-pointer, while Sparks, Rawlings, Stechschulte, and Walburn continued to find the basket as the Cardinals outscored La Roche 25-11 in the third. Otterbein carried a 74-28 advantage into the final quarter.
The Cardinals maintained their pace throughout the fourth, with contributions coming from across the lineup. Waskiewicz scored four points early in the period, while Addison Hill knocked down a pair of three-pointers. Abby Dickson also connected from beyond the arc, and Kadence Conley and Olivia Schneider added baskets inside as Otterbein closed out the 52-point victory.
The Cardinals recorded 15 steals and forced 30 turnovers, turning those opportunities into 47 points. Otterbein also held a 56-22 advantage in points in the paint and finished with 46 bench points.
Otterbein improves to 2-1 overall with the victory and now turns its attention to the Chatham Cougars. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. on Tuesday in Pittsburgh, Pa., at the Athletic and Fitness Center.
