By Kaylie Moore and John Ostapowicz / The Jambar
Head Coach Melissa Jackson of the Youngstown State University women’s basketball team faced familiar opponents over a two-game span. Jackson spent 15 years in different positions at the University of Akron and revisited Mid-American Conference opponents University of Toledo on Nov. 23 and the Zips on Nov. 30.
To start the reunion, the ’Guins fell 69-65 to Toledo at Zidian Family Arena inside Beeghly Center. The Penguins led the majority of the game against the Rockets.
Sophomore Sophia Gregory led the Penguins with 16 points, two blocks, two steals and eight rebounds. Sixth-year senior Casey Santoro also put up solid numbers for the Penguins with 15 points, one steal and four rebounds.
Redshirt freshman Sarah Baker put up 14 points, while sophomore Erica King contributed 11 points.
For Toledo, sophomore Evalyse Cole led the offense with 14 points, while sophomore Faith Fedd-Robinson contributed 13 points. Graduate student Patricia Anumgba led the Rockets with 18 points, 3 rebounds and a 38% field goal percentage.
Against Jackson’s former team, the Penguins defeated the Zips at 90-63. Youngstown State recorded 50 points to the Zip’s 26 points in the paint. The Penguins also capitalized on the Zip’s mistakes to score 11 points off of turnovers.
Gregory came up again for the Penguins with a double-double, as she contributed 24 points, two blocks, two steals and 10 rebounds. Baker and King contributed with a combined scoring of 30 points and a 50% field goal percentage.
Some contributing names for the Zips included senior Maddie Vejsicky, who added one point, seven rebounds and set a 50% field goal percentage. Freshman Reed Corine and junior Teniesha Clarke had a combined scoring of 18 points.
Jackson said the team chemistry is improving both defensively and offensively as it slows down its playstyle.“The ball moved really well [against Akron], obviously 19 assists to 11 turnovers, so [I’m] very happy with that,” Jackson said. “But we’re just settling in and we’re slowing down, and a lot of our young kids are slowing down.”
The win pushed the Penguins to a 5-2 overall record.
Youngstown State will look to extend its win streak against the University of Milwaukee–Wisconsin at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 inside the J. Martin Klotsche Center in Milwaukee.
