November 14, 2014-The #7 Emporia State Lady Hornets opened the season with a 76-61 win over Texas Woman's University in the Ashbrook Classic in Wichita Falls, Texas. Merissa Quick led the Lady Hornets with 23 points, nine rebounds and eight blocked shots.
The Lady Hornets scored the first five points of the game and led 7-2 just over two minutes into the game. The Pioneers came back with a 11-5 run to take a 13-12 lead with 13:50 left in the first half. An old fashioned three point play by Megan Easley gave TWU a 22-19 lead with 10:10 left in the opening frame. Emporia State then went on a 15-0 run that saw five different Lady Hornets score as they took a 34-22 lead with 5:05 left in the half. The lead would not drop below double figures the rest of the way as Emporia State took a 44-31 lead into the break and would lead by as many as 18 points in the second half.
Quick's near triple double led three players in double figures for Emporia State. Kelly Moten added 14 points and six assist while Kelsey Barnwell had 12 points in her Lady Hornet debut. Amber Vandiver added nine points and eight rebounds.
Emporia State takes on the host school, Midwestern State, on Saturday night in the defacto championship game. The Mustangs defeated Adams State 77-62 in the other game on Friday night.
NOTES
The Lady Hornets are now 35-6 all-time in season openers.
Quick passed Sheri Moore and Andrea Leiker to move into 19th on the Lady Hornets all-time scoring list with 1,176 points. Next up is Rachel Hanf with 1,218 points.
Quick's eight blocks gave her 211 for her career and pulled her within five of Alli Volkens for second on the Lady Hornets career list.
