Grove City 88, Franciscan 38

Franciscan Starters 
Sophie LaRose, Emma Clow, Jazzlyn Melnyk, Lauren Arena, Ilena Gonzales

Grove City Starters
Kallock, Polczynski, Cano, Goetz, Hannon

How It Happened 
    While the team fought hard with Ilena Gonzales scoring a career-high 15 points, the Barons fell to the Grove City Wolverines 38-88. After a long Thanksgiving break, Franciscan started their first of three away games. Grove City has proven to be a difficult opponent in the past, as the Barons are 1-9 against them all time. Still, history would not faze the team as they came into the game looking ready to compete.
    The starting lineup saw some small changes: Ilena Gonzales and Kylie Panizza filled in for star players Madison Doan and Chiara MacGillivray. Gonzales has taken a huge leap this year, going from 4 points per game last season to 8 points per game. Freshman guard Kylie Panizza has also proven herself to be a capable player, scoring 9 points off the bench last game. With this new starting lineup, the Barons had to play a smaller, faster offense. Unfortunately, with 6-foot center Madison Doan out, the team suffered from a lack of rim protection. The Wolverines continually attacked the paint, starting the game with 20 straight points. As the offense struggled to get going, Jazzlyn Melnyk finally ended the run by knocking down two free throws. Ilena Gonzales chipped in with a layup shortly after. The Barons ended the first quarter down 4-20.
    After just scoring 4 points in the first quarter, the offense needed to do something different. Jazzlyn Melnyk was a sniper from distance, hitting 2 threes in the second quarter alone. She ended the night an efficient 3-6 from downtown. The team increased their physical intensity, driving to the basket and drawing more fouls. While the offense was much better than the first quarter, the Barons still struggled on the defensive end.
After Ilena Gonzales hit a three to start the third quarter, the Barons went scoreless for 4 minutes. The Wolverines continued to punish them in the paint, going on a 16-0 run. The Barons quickly answered with a 6-0 run of their own, starting with a three pointer from Giuliana Biasutto. Unfortunately, as the game started to come to a close, the deficit became too large to overcome.
    While the match ended in a loss, the team still continues to improve. In her first start of the season, Ilena Gonzales scored a career-high 15 points, going 2-4 from three. Jazzlyn Melnyk showcased her two-way talents, adding in 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 2 steals. The Barons shot significantly better on the perimeter, posting a 31% three-point percentage compared to their season average of 20%. As this team starts getting on their feet, we'll hopefully see this losing streak be broken soon.

Inside the Numbers 
-Ilena Gonzales led the team with 15 points
-Jazzlyn Melnyk led the team in rebounding with 10
-Daelyn Staehling scored her first career bucket
-Carmen Mendez saw a season-high 10 minutes and attempted two 3pt attempts

Up Next 
Franciscan will remain on the road at Geneva on Saturday to take on the Golden Tornadoes. The Barons are 2-10 all-time against the Golden Tornadoes with them being on the wrong side of the last four matchups. Their last win against them came in January of 2020 by a score of 74-67. Abby Baierl led the way that day for Franciscan with 28 points and 11 rebounds. 

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