Ed Beach (Drury Sports Information) ASHLAND, Ohio. – Number one ranked and unbeaten Ashland ended Drury’s season with a 74-62 win in the NCAA-II Midwest Regional championship game on Monday night in Ashland, Ohio.
The Eagles, the top seed in the regional, ran their record to 34-0 while the second seeded Lady Panthers, ranked fifth nationally, concluded their season at 30-4.
Drury played from behind for nearly the entire game but stayed within striking distance in front of a crowd of 1,875 that crammed into Kates Gym. The Lady Panthers trailed 29-24 at halftime after a first half that saw the two teams combine for 24 turnovers.
Ashland quickly jumped to an 11-point lead early in the third quarter, but Drury chipped away and pulled within a point of the lead, 45-44, late in the period. The Eagles ended the quarter with a 10-2 run, though, to go up 55-46. The Lady Panthers could never get within a possession of the lead in the fourth period.
Three Drury players led their offense with 14 points as Heather Harman, Paige Wilson and Hailey Diestelkamp each had 14. Diestelkamp added nine rebounds and two steals.
Jodi Johnson led Ashland with a game-high 15 points as four Eagles reached double-figures.
The difference in the game came from the free throw line where Ashland made 22 of 31 foul shots. Drury got to the line for just five shots going 3 for 5 from the stripe. The five free throw attempts were a season low for the Lady Panthers. Drury was called for 21 fouls to Ashland’s 14.
The Lady Panthers shot a higher percentage than Ashland did as the Lady Panthers connected on 26 of 67 shots for 40 percent. Ashland shot 39 percent going 22 for 56.
“Ashland is a very talented team and the way they played tonight is a testament to the way they played all year,” said Drury head coach Molly Miller. “I’m really proud of my girls. There’s a lot of tears in our locker room because they’re competitors and they’re fighters.”
The win helped Ashland avenge their loss to Drury in last year’s Midwest Regional semifinal which has been the Eagles only loss in two years and their only defeat in their last 52 home games.
Monday’s game ended the careers of three seniors, Paige Wilson, Hannah Dressler and Briana Jones. The trio helped Drury to a 109-17 record during their time with the Lady Panthers as well as three NCAA-II national tournament appearances and two Great Lakes Valley Conference titles.
Drury’s final record of 30-4 marked their third 30-win season in program history.
