WASHINGTON – A hard fought battle overall, ultimately the Eagles of the American University women's basketball team were able to hold on for a dramatic, 54-52, victory over Lafayette at home on Wednesday night. The squad's first win of the season comes behind a career high scoring night from sophomore forward Grace Koepke.
 
Inside the Box Score

• Koepke led the Eagles, and all players on the court, in scoring with 18 points, followed by Cecilia Kay with 13 points, and Laura Nogues with nine. Koepke's career high came from 7-for-10 shooting, including going 3-for-3 from three point range.
• Kay led all players on the court with nine rebounds, her 13th time leading AU this year. Koepke had eight rebounds, one shy of her career high of nine. Point guards Nogues and Lexi Salazar had a team leading four assists apiece.
• Despite Kay's efforts on the glass, American was narrowly outrebounded overall, 35-32.
• The Leopards only had one player scoring double digits, led by Teresa Kiewiet with 10. She also had five rebounds and one steal in the matchup. Abby Antognoli had nine points and five rebounds.
• On the evening, the Eagles shot 43.2 percent from the floor overall and 42.9 percent from three while Lafayette shot 32.8 percent from the floor and 25 percent from three.

How it Happened

• Lafayette's Kiewiet was able to score first with a layup at the 9:23 mark. The Eagles struck back, with a three-pointer just a minute later from Nogues.
• Koepke picked up her first and second fouls within the first three minutes of the half and turned the ball over to the Leopards, limiting the Eagles options in the post. Lafayette led the Eagles 20-12 with seven minutes remaining before the half.
• American struggled to keep the offensive momentum going in the second quarter until a foul from Lafayette's Ntaconayigize led Bailey Garbee to hit a free throw. Making the score 20-13 Lafayette, with 6:23 minutes until the half, a minute later, Garbee drained a three to ignite the second quarter spark.
• Koepke put up her second three-pointer of the night, followed by a driving layup from Anna Rescifina to put the Eagles closer to the Leopards score mark, 26-24 with just 56 seconds until the half.
• The Leopards led the Eagles 28-26 at the break. For Lafayette, both Antognoli and Ntaconayigize had five points. For American, Koepke had nine, Nogues had seven, and Garbee had four.
• The Eagles really found their offensive rhythm, starting off the third quarter with a 10-2 run over the Leopards. Koepke hit her third three-point basket of the night and put the Eagles up 36-35 with 4:21 remaining in the third.
• Kay, who had a slower start to the night, found her offensive touch in the final quarter scoring six points within the first five minutes allowing the Eagles to get ahead 49-47. She also proved her defensive prowess nabbing, four of her six second-half rebounds in the fourth frame.
• Koepke, who had been in foul trouble since late in the third when she picked up her third and fourth foul, got called for her fifth foul, pulling her out of the game with 4:32 minutes remaining in the game, pinning the Eagles in a tough spot, effecting their depth and rotation.
• A turnover from the Leopards though put the Eagles in possession of the ball, but with seconds left it was stolen back by Lafayette leaving the Eagles defense in control of the game's outcome.
• The defense pulled through. When the final buzzer sounded, the Eagles claimed their first win topping Lafayette, 54-52.

On the Horizon
The Eagles take a trip to New York to take on Army West Point for their first matchup of the season on Saturday, Feb. 1. First tip is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Christl Arena.
 
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