Box Score Louisville, Ky. – The Transylvania women's basketball team tipped off its 2021-22 campaign on Tuesday evening with an 80-47 win over the Spalding University Eagles at Columbia Gym.
The reigning three-time Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Pioneers came out fresh and firing in their Tuesday road game, draining 10 of 28 three-pointers to start off their newest season with a tally in the win column.
13 different Pioneers saw action on Tuesday and were led by Madison Kellione's 23 points. The junior picked up from where she left off last March in a career-high scoring HCAC Championship game with 8 for 12 shooting from the floor in Tuesday's curtain-raiser while nailing 2 of 5 three-point attempts. Kellione also led all players with five dimes and four of Transy's 12 steals on the night.
Kennedi Stacy joined Kellione as a veritable backcourt threat in the Tuesday win, posting 14 points on 5 for 8 shooting from the field. Stacy was a plus-38 on the floor in 27 minutes of gameplay.
The Pioneers wasted no time on Tuesday finding their rhythm, shooting 53 percent from the field in the first quarter to open up a 21-14 advantage. Transy used a 7-0 run, capped off by a Kellione layup to push the lead to 17-9. Stacy completed the first quarter with a buzzer-beating runner to boost the visitors' lead to seven points.
Transylvania seized momentum in the second quarter behind a three-point barrage and aggressive two-way play, outscoring Spalding 27 to 7 on the way to a 48-21 halftime lead. The Pioneers made 8 of 12 shots from the floor in the second quarter and were a sizzling 5 for 7 from deep. Both of Stacy's three-pointers arrived in the second quarter as the Pioneers shifted into a higher gear.
The Pioneers won the third quarter behind lockdown defense, holding Spalding to 28 percent shooting in the period as their lead continued to bloom. Dasia Thornton had six of her 10 points in the third to help the Pioneers win their third straight quarter to open up the game.
Samantha Cornelison dropped in two 3-pointers in the final quarter to close up the scoring for the Pioneers. Aubree Littlejohn set up Sadie Wurth for a corner three to put the finishing touches upon the night with under two minutes to go as the Pioneers furnished a solid two-way performance in their first official action of 2021-22.
Transylvania scored 22 points off of turnovers compared to nine by Spalding. The Pioneers received 18 points off the bench, led by Cornelison's nine points in her collegiate debut. Thornton led the Pioneers on the boards with nine rebounds as the Pioneers won the battle of the boards by 18 caroms. Emilie Teall was another Pioneer checking in for her minutes of collegiate action on Tuesday night and followed Thornton with nine rebounds in her debut.
Transylvania is back in action this Thursday, November 11 in an exhibition game against Division I Eastern Kentucky in Richmond, Kentucky at 6:00 p.m. The Pioneers' next regular season game versus a Division III opponent takes place Friday, November 19 at Eastern Nazarene University in Quincy, Massachusetts at 6:00 p.m. as the Pioneers head to New England ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday for two games.
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