Franciscan 80, Wooster 68

Franciscan Starters 
Sophie LaRose, Chiara MacGillivray, Jazzlyn Melnyk, Lauren Arena, Madison Doan   

Wooster Starters
Biondi, Walker, Wells, Chritz, Thorr

How It Happened 
    The Franciscan Barons were all smiles after defeating the Wooster Fighting Scots 78-68 in their first game of the season. Every aspect of the team was on full display. Chiara MacGillivray led the team in scoring and rebounding with 23 points and 12 boards. Jazzlyn Melnyk also had a strong performance with 20 points, a block, and 2 steals. Madison Doan was a monster in the paint with 17 points and 4 blocks. Ilena Gonzales provided capable scoring off the bench with 10 points, while freshman Emma Clow led the team in assists with 4. Tonight's victory shows the fruits of their labor in the offseason, but they don't intend to stop now. This game will set a tone for the rest of the season.
    The Barons won the tip off and started the first quarter with 6 unanswered points. Jazzlyn Melnyk punished the defense with a transition layup, while Madison Doan showed off her skills in the post. 2 minutes later, Wooster was able to squeak in a layup, only to be answered with a Madison Doan 3-pointer at the top of the key. A few minutes later, Jazzlyn Melnyk put on a clinic, scoring 6 points in 2 minutes. The first quarter ended with the Barons up 17-6.
The Barons kept their foot on the gas through the second quarter. The offense played physical in the paint, leading to many free throws. Chiara MacGillivray showcased her outside shooting, adding 2 threes in the second quarter alone. The Barons came into halftime with a healthy 13-point lead, 38-25.
    The third quarter was a defensive battle. Wooster capitalized on numerous fouls to slowly chip away at the Baron lead. Ilena Gonzales was a bright spot in the Baron's tired offense, scoring buckets in transition while knocking down a pair of free throws. But things got scary in the fourth quarter. With just 6 minutes left in the game, Wooster went on a 8-0 run, cutting the lead down to just 6. The Barons had to secure the win. Madison Doan and Jazzlyn Melnyk went to work, scoring 6 points in the paint. Combine that with 3 free throws, and the Barons came away victorious. This first game is an important step in the right direction. The Barons have grown from last year's hardships, and now, they are here to stay.

Inside the Numbers 
-Last night's 23 point, 12 rebound effort was Chiara MacGillivray's 3rd career double-double
-Ilena Gonzales' 10 point effort was her 4th career double digit point performance
-Jazzyln Melnyk scored a career high 20 points off 7-14 shooting
-The Barons forced 19 turnovers and out-rebounded their opponents 47-32

Up Next 
Franciscan jumps right into a pair of early PAC matchups next week. The first one will be on the road at Saint Vincent. The Bearcats were voted as the number six seed in the conference from the PAC Coaches' Preseason Poll that was released last week. These two teams have only played each other three times over the years with the Bearcats winning all of the previous matchups. Last season, Chiara MacGillivray and Jazzlyn Melnyk each average 13.5 ppg against the Bearcats. This will be Saint Vincent's third game of the 2022-23 season. They beat  Juniata College on Tuesday by a score of 76-58, and they will play Marietta College this coming Friday. 

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