Junior forward Alli Volkens looks to pass Monday Night at White Auditorium. The Hornets crushed Truman State 77-55. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

For the second straight game, the Emporia State women’s basketball team did not allow a double-digit scorer as they defeated Truman State, 75-55. Four Hornets ended up in double figures, including high scorer and senior guard Cassondra Boston with 17 points.

“We had a lot of players that were able to drive on their players, and we took advantage of that and opened up the floor,” Boston said. “People made really good plays tonight, good decisions.”

The Hornets were well met by the Bulldogs early on, even trailing Truman by as much as six with 8:07 left to play, until ESU went on a 17-4 drive to end the first half, leading 39-29.

Boston said that the team’s lapse in defense was the cause of TSU’s short lead.

“I think we just realized we needed to pick it up on the defensive end,” Boston said. “We were letting them score a little bit too easily, and we started to get a little more stingy on defense and get after those loose balls and just play a lot better defense on them.”

Emporia State Head Coach Brandon Schneider was also witness to the Hornets’ defensive collapse.

“I thought we played on our heels a little bit,” Schneider said. “I felt like we played a little

Senior guard Sophia Lenard attacks the basket Monday night at White Auditorium. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

bit like we were the underdog early and didn’t play with the kind of aggression on both ends of the floor that we needed to. Once we start playing a little bit better defense, I thought that helped us get in a better flow.”

The second half proved to be more fruitful for the Hornets as the team turned it up on both offense and defense and never really allowed the Bulldogs to get the game within reach.

Schneider attributed the team’s success to a slashing, drive-to-the-basket style of play as opposed to the normal high-low game that the team is accustomed to.

“I think a lot of it is people know we’re going to play that way. Typically then, we have to adjust to however their guarding it,” Schneider said. “Tonight, I thought Rachel Hanf really sticks out in particular, really getting in some seams and making some plays. Cassondra (Boston) obviously had a nice game, Sophia (Lenard) made some good plays but I’m probably more excited about how Negesti (Taylor) played than anybody. It’s nice to see her finish some plays and continue to rebound really well.”

Sophomore guard Brittney Miller also said that the team’s approach to the game earned them the victory.

“We do like to dribble-drive,” Miller said. “A lot of our players are good at that, so we try to go to our strengths. It’s been working, but we’re going to keep getting better.”

Miller contributed 14 points for the Hornets, while senior guard Sophia Lenard and Hanf

Junior center Negesti Taylor goes in for a layup Monday night at White Auditorium. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

added 12 and 10 points, respectively. Junior center Negesti Taylor almost had a double-double with eight points and 10 rebounds.

Lenard saw some extended action during the contest – action she had been missing out on due to an injury sustained earlier in the season.

“We’re trying to kind of work her (Lenard) into it,” Schneider said. “Prior to us going to the San Francisco trip, it was the first time she really had any extended practice. We left her in there a little bit too long on a couple occasions where she made some mistakes I think just out of fatigue, so we have to be careful with that. We’re trying to work her into the rotation as much as we can.”

Schneider said that he has noticed some marked improvement from the team, in many different facets of the game.

“We’re trying to get better, particularly on the offensive end, and tonight I thought we executed much better,” Schneider said. “It’s good to know that we can go and play two drastically different teams and win a fast paced game and turn around the next day and have them play a really physical, grind-it-out style and know that we can win a game even when we don’t make shots.”

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Senior guard Tim Niles shoots over a Truman defender Monday night at White Auditorium. The Hornets beat the Bulldogs 95-84. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

The Emporia State men’s basketball team returned to White Auditorium after the holiday break to defeat the Truman Bulldogs, 92-84.

The Hornets led Truman throughout the first half – a half that was highlighted by two technical fouls committed by Truman coach Jack Schrader, the ejection of Schrader from the facility due to said fouls and an 80-foot first half buzzer beater by freshman guard Taylor Euler.

“It (the buzzer beater) felt great,” Euler said. “The crowd went crazy. I didn’t know how much time was on the clock. I just caught it, took two dribbl

es and just threw it as far as I could. Luckily enough it went in.”

Technical fouls can sometimes be a distraction for a team. Not for the Hornets, in this case. Euler said that the fouls made the game more fun for him and his teammates.

“The crowd reacts to it, and this is such as great auditorium, when it starts getting loud it’s a great atmosphere,” Euler said. “I definitely think it helped us pick up our energy towards the end of the half.”

Senior guard Lamar Wilbern faces of against a Truman guard Monday at White Auditorium. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

Junior forward Adam Holthaus said he tries not to get too caught up in the technical foul mess.

“It’s just part of the game,” Holthaus said. “We have to just go out there and push it away and just keep playing the way we were playing.”

The first half ended with the Hornets going on a 13-2 run while leading the Bulldogs, 48-27.

Truman would not back down from a potential defeat, coming back in the second half by trimming ESU’s lead to single digits several times in their comeback attempt.

“When you get a big lead like that, you tend to back off a little bit…we started getting lazy in the second half and they started hitting shots,” Euler said.

Junior forward Adam Holthaus drives the basket Monday night at White Auditorium. Kellen Jenkins/ The Bulletin

Holthaus attributed the team’s rotational defense to the near-collapse.

“It was our entire team defense is what it was,” Holthaus said. “They were setting a lot of screens and getting people open, and we weren’t there to help. The pressure wasn’t all there. It’s kind of one of those things where we just let down a little bit. We just have to stay aggressive.”

The Hornets, however, would hold on to the lead.

Four Hornets were in double figures, led by senior guard Tim Niles with 23. Holthaus, Euler and senior guard Lamar Wilbern, who made his first appearance for the Hornets in four games due to a knee injury, each added 19, 18 and 13 points, respectively.

Wilbern was impressed with the bench play of Euler and the solid contributions of Holthaus.

“We’re a team. Everyone has to bring their A-game,” Wilbern said. “Those guys (Euler,

Junior guard Jordan Stout puts in an easy layup Monday night at White Auditorium.

Holthaus) get overlooked, but they play great. They consistently play good, and that’s what they needed to do. They stepped up to the challenge and they came out tonight and played a good game as well.”

For Euler, bringing something valuable to the team was his mission.

“I just wanted to come in and bring a lot of energy to the team and give them a spark because you know the other team’s starting five is going to get tired, and they’re going to start playing lazy,” Euler said. “When I get in there I’m full speed go, trying to bring a lot of energy and get some easy buckets.”

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The Emporia State softball team swept a double-header against Truman State last Tuesday, winning game one with a score of 9-3 and game two with a score of 12-2.

In game one, the Hornets took the lead early when sophomore Angela Mahan drove two runners in, putting ESU up 2-0 in the first inning.

Truman did not go quietly, scoring on an unearned run in the second inning and a home run by Dani Mayer at the top of the fourth inning.

ESU capitalized at bat in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring six runs to put the score to 9-2.

The Hornets attempted to score one more to run rule and the Bulldogs would score only one more at the top of the seventh.

ESU senior Aubree Brattin ran in a score and went 2-3 at bat with four RBI. Junior Miranda Campbell ran in two scores and went 1-1 with one RBI. Mahan also ran in two scores and went 2-3 at bat.

On the defensive side, senior pitcher Megan Dennis led the Hornets on the mound. Dennis struck out six and did not allow any walks.

In game two, ESU would continue to get the lead early. Mahan and Campbell both ran in to score in the first inning.

In the second inning, Mahan hit her second home run of the year to score two more for the Hornets, making the score 4-0.

The Hornets scored two more in the fourth inning and shut down Truman on defense the entire game, only allowing the Bulldogs to score two runs in the top of the sixth inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, ESU scored eight runs to get the run rule to win the game. Manley hit a two run homer, sophomore Abby Hughes hit two runners in, sophomore Abby Smith scored on a fielder’s choice and junior Jenna Potter would finish the game with a home run hit to the left wall to score three, bringing the score to 12-2.

Leading ESU on the mound in game two, freshman pitcher Jennifer Heerey got three to strike out and only allowed two runs on six hits.

“I think my defense does a great job of backing me up,” Heerey said. “Hitting my spots and my changeups has been working a lot better lately to throw the batters off balance.”

According to Heerey, having a strong offense has helped on defense.

“I think we have just come together as a team and we have gotten hits when we needed them,” Heerey said. “They have put base hits together and when they run they game it is really nice for the pitcher to be out there on the mound and be up by that much.”

Head Coach Kristi Bredbenner said that, with conference play getting closer, the Hornets need to continue to get important wins.

“It is going to be a tough conference this year and it is going to come down to who loses the games they should have won,” Bredbenner said. “We are going to have Central and Missouri Western here which is nice but we just got to keep focusing one game at a time and beat the teams we need to beat and take it to Missouri Southern.”

According to Bredbenner, the team’s strength at bat will help capture more wins.

“Right now we are just focusing on hitting the ball up the middle and making power contact with the ball,” Bredbenner said. “We have to be able to adjust our hitting style a little bit to the pitching style. When it is slow and low we have to make sure to wait and stay low through the ball and when it is a little quicker we have to have quicker hands and get our barrel through.”

On the defensive end, Bredbenner said pitching with more experience is key to shutting down other teams at bat.

“Our pitchers have been learning from their mistakes,” she said. “Granted, we are still making some here and there, but they are fine tuning a little more and not having as many of them.”

With the next game away against Missouri Southern, Bredbenner said the team needs to focus.

“Missouri Southern right now has won more games than they did all last year already,” she said. “They are a team no one can look past and I think a couple people have and it has come back to bite them a little bit.”

The Hornets are now 24-9 in regular season play and are 5-1 in the MIAA. They will play at 2 p.m. Saturday in Joplin, Mo.

Doug Irby/The Bulletin

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