Franciscan 63, Thiel 57

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

Thiel Starters
Susany, Wagner, Johnson, Merriwether, Adams

How It Happened 
    The Barons snapped a 5 game losing streak by defeating the Thiel Tomcats 63-57 for their first conference win of the season. After a strong start from Franciscan, the score evened out and both teams battled down to the wire. Fortunately, the Barons played excellent defense and were able to hold on to victory.
    The offense came swinging right out of the gate, going on a massive 19-2 run. This was mostly fueled by excellent team defense along with precision passing. The first 6 points of the game all came from assists. Both Chiara MacGillivray and Madison Doan took turns dealing damage, with MacGillivray knocking down a jumper to count the first basket for the Barons. Madison Doan feasted in the paint, scoring 8 points in the first quarter alone.
    The Barons thrived in transition, stretching their lead to 15 points to start the second quarter. The Tomcats responded with a 13-3 run, and suddenly, Franciscan was only up by 3 points. While Emma Clow and Jazzlyn Melnyk landed 3 pointers of their own, Thiel kept climbing their way up, and with 2 minutes left in the second quarter, they led by 1 point. Chiara MacGillivray quickly erased that lead with a three, ending the first half with the Barons up 34-32.
    With the score being so close, both teams fought tooth and nail for every basket. With 6 minutes left in the third, Chiara MacGillivray snatched the ball to land a transition layup. The sophomore guard would drain a three shortly after to put the Barons up 5 points. The fourth quarter went back and forth, with each team gaining and losing the lead. Madison Doan continued her onslaught in the paint, scoring 6 points in the fourth. With 3 minutes left in the game, Chiara MacGillivray hit a huge three-point bomb to put the Barons up 4 points. But this game wasn't decided by one game-winning shot. The Barons won because of their lockdown defense. The Tomcats didn't land a single field goal for the last 5 minutes of the game. Thiel did get to the line a bit, but the Barons were able to seal the victory with free throws of their own.
    Chiara MacGillivray was a two-way menace, leading the way with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. Madison Doan cataloged another double-double with 18 points on efficient 9-14 shooting, along with 14 rebounds and a block. Lauren Arena commanded the floor with 6 assists. What made this game special was the amount of passing done by the offense. The Barons totaled 17 assists for the game, a huge leap from their season average of 10. Franciscan's offense is improving, and it's translating into wins. 

Inside the Numbers 
-The Barons shot a season-high 28% from 3pt
-The defense held the opponent to a season-best 31% from the field
-Doan's 18 points and 14 rebounds is her second double-double of the season
-The Barons scored 28 points in the paint compared to Thiel's 18

Up Next 
Franciscan will return home on Saturday for their first game of the season in Finnegan Fieldhouse. They will take on,  a former conference opponent, La Roche at 2pm after the men's game at noon. La Roche has historically had Franciscan's number, but the Redhawks are off to a slow start this season. They are 1-4 with their lone win coming against Buffalo State. They battled one of the best teams in the PAC, as they lost to Washington & Jefferson in their second game of the season. 

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