UAA Athletics

Steals carry UAA women’s basketball team to another win

The Seawolves stole a victory Thursday night in Lacey, Washington.

Trailing by three points after a hideous second quarter, the UAA women's basketball team stole the ball five times on Saint Martin's first nine possessions of the third quarter to break away for a 76-57 win.

The Seawolves recorded seven of their 16 steals in that quarter and outscored Saint Martin's 27-13 to take an 11-point lead into the final quarter.

UAA was limited to five points in the second quarter but Yazmeen Goo set a different tone at the start of the third quarter by getting an immediate steal and  layup.

In the first four minutes of the half, UAA forced six turnovers — getting two steals apiece from Goo and Kian McNair — to seize a 38-31 lead.

The defensive show of force allowed the Seawolves to remain undefeated in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. They're 16-1 overall and 9-0 in conference play.

UAA raced to a 14-0 lead in the game's opening minutes and was up 23-9 after the first quarter before the Saints mounted a huge comeback in the second quarter. They outscored the Seawolves 22-5 to take a 31-28 lead at intermission.

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"I'm not sure what came over us in that second quarter, but luckily we were able to regain our focus and play well overall in the second half," UAA coach Ryan McCarthy said in a press release.

Hannah Wandersee registered a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double and Goo and Kaitlyn Hurley each netted 15 points as the Seawolves played their third straight game without leading scorer and rebounder Shelby Cloninger, who sat with an injury.

Goo, McNair and Tara Thompson did a little bit of everything for the Seawolves. Goo's career-high scoring effort was supplemented by five steals, five assists and five rebounds, Thompson finished eight points, five steals, three assists and three rebounds, and McNair had eight points, three steals, three assists and three rebounds.

Wandersee hit 7 of 8 shots and Goo was 5 of 8 to help UAA outshoot the Saints 40 percent to 36.4 percent.

"Hannah and Yazmeen played aggressively and chose good shots, as well as providing the veteran leadership needed to earn a win like this," McCarthy said.

Also providing a spark were freshmen Sydni Stallworth (7 points, three assists, two steals) and Tennae Voliva (five rebounds).

Saint Martin's (5-12, 1-8) was led by Elin Johannson's 17 points and 12 rebounds but was undone by 28 turnovers.

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