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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Graci Semptimphelter vs. Grove City 11-8-24
Peter Wangechi
55
Grove City GRO 0-1,0-0 PAC
89
Winner John Carroll JCU 1-0,0-0 OAC
Grove City GRO
0-1,0-0 PAC
55
Final
89
John Carroll JCU
1-0,0-0 OAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Grove City GRO 11 10 17 17 55
John Carroll JCU 21 26 15 27 89

Game Recap: Women's Basketball | | Jack Stephens, Staff Writer

Women's Basketball Dominates Grove City in Season Opener

JCU won big to start the Winking Lizard Tournament

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS — The John Carroll Blue Streaks Women's Basketball team opened up their season with a bang, defeating the Grove City Wolverines, 89-55.

The Blue Streaks dominated from start to finish in the home opener as part of the first day of the 2024 Winking Lizard Tip-Off Tournament in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center. 

After going 13-13 a year ago and 8-10 in OAC play, the Blue Streaks looked to get the campaign off to a good start, as they did last year, by sweeping the Winking Lizard Tip-Off Tournament. With some key returning pieces from a season ago, the Blue Streaks got win number one on the year. 

The Blue Streaks got off to a hot start, taking a 6-0 lead in the first two minutes off fast break layups from sophomore Abigail Rosol and junior transfer Graci Semptimphelter. The lead would quickly grow to ten as Rosol and Brooke Laub went back-to-back from beyond the arc, making it 16-6 Blue Streaks. Sloppy possessions from both sides would ensue, but the triples kept falling as Laub hit another with two minutes to play. A baseline jumper from junior Ava Ryncarz sealed an efficient offensive first quarter for JCU, giving them a 21-11 lead after one. 

The second quarter started with stifling defense from the Blue Streaks, as senior Maddie Pietrowski intercepted a pass on the first Wolverine possession, which led to a Blue Streak layup. The offensive onslaught continued as midway through the quarter, JCU was outscoring Grove City 11-2, maintaining their big lead. Laub was the first to hit double digit points as her layup with just over four minutes to play made it 35-17 Blue Streaks. 

Full court pressure was giving the Wolverines fits all half, as turnovers turned into buckets for JCU. An 8-0 run in the final minutes paved the way for a 47-21 JCU lead at the break. Semptimphelter, Ryncarz and Laub were the catalysts offensively, combining for 31 points. Semptimphelter, in her first game with the Blue Streaks, also grabbed a rebound and dished out three assists. Ryncarz and newcomer Carly Perusek led the way on the glass with four rebounds each. It was a slow start for Grove City, shooting 30.8% from the field in the first 20 minutes, but senior guard Mara Polczynski led all Wolverines in scoring with five points on 2-of-3 shooting. 

The tough twos continued to fall as Rosol opened up the second half with a great finish on the right block. However, the Wolverines began to chip away at their large deficit with a 6-0 run late in the quarter. In need of a bucket after going cold for three minutes, Rosol drove to the cup through contact and put an end to the Wolverines' run. Freshman Ella Neitzel and Perusek converted on two-point shots to finish the third quarter scoring, where the Blue Streaks maintained their large lead. JCU held a 62-38 advantage over Grove City with 10 minutes to play.  

The final period started the same way the other did, with a Blue Streak bucket, as it was Laub hitting her third three of the game. The foot did not come off the gas for JCU, as another triple from Ryncarz and a jumper from Kaylie McKenney made the lead 32. A deep three from Nietzel was the ninth for the Blue Streaks, their most as a team since January 21, 2023. A couple of first career buckets from first years Nicci Finazzo, Molly Drenik, and Katie Puletti sealed a 89-55 Blue & Gold winner. 

It was a total team effort for the Blue Streaks, as five different players finished in double figures. The Ohio Wesleyan transfer Semptimphelter led all scorers with 15 points and five assists. Neitzel, in her first JCU game, made a big impact, scoring 10 and grabbing four rebounds. Ryncarz got close to another double-double with 15 points and seven rebounds. The sophomore duo of Rosol and Laub combined for 24 points and four made three pointers. 

Polcynski finished as the leading scorer for the Wolverines with 10 points, five rebounds and four steals. 

The Blue Streaks look to keep up their early momentum tomorrow afternoon, as they take on the winner of Game 1 of the Winking Lizard Tip-Off, the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles, at 1 pm. 
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