Eagles Fall to Presbyterian in Second Straight Big South Match-up
In a recent match-up, the Winthrop Eagles fell to the Presbyterian Blue Hose in a 59-43 defeat. This marks the second consecutive time the Eagles have lost a Big South contest, causing concern among fans and players about their overall standing within the league.
Hard-fought Contest
The game took place at the Winthrop Coliseum, with the home team eager to clinify another Big South victory. However, Presbyterian took the lead from the outset with a 19-15 finish in the first quarter. Despite a good 13-point run by the Eagles which included a series of three-point shots by Elli Garnett, the Blue Hose responded with an 11-0 run for a strong finish to the first quarter.
The second quarter saw both teams splitting the first 12 points, leaving Winthrop still trailing four points behind Presbyterian. A scoring drought from the Eagles and layups from the Blue Hose led to an 8-point lead for Presbyterian. Nevertheless, the Eagles managed to cut the lead in half by the end of the quarter.
Presbyterian Pulls Ahead
In the second half of the game, the Blue Hose notched 10 of the first 16 points, increasing their lead to 39-31 at the 4:16 mark. Despite strong efforts by the Eagles in the fourth quarter, the Blue Hose maintained their lead and ultimately clinified the game with a significant 20-point margin.
Statistical Highlights
Despite the loss, several players put in impressive performances. Ronaltha Marc hit 13 points, setting a new career-high in steals. Elli Garnett set a career-high in rebounds, while Leonor Paisana is now just six three-pointers shy of cracking the Top 10 in school history for career triples.
Looking Ahead
With this loss, Winthrop’s record moves to 7-9 in the Big South. Eagerness to recover from these consecutive losses is palpable among the team. The Eagles will now shift their focus to their next game on the schedule, an away match-up against Radford. This game promises to be a crucial one for the team’s standing in the Big South league and a chance to get back to winning ways.
Despite the tough loss, the spirits among the Eagles remain high, exhibiting a commendable resilience that has always characterized the team. There’s hope for a strong finish in the Big South despite the current challenges they face.
