WOOSTER, Ohio – A confident Albion College squad shot 50 percent from the field, including 45 percent from 3-point range, to score a 74-59 victory over Capital University on the opening day of the Nan Nichols Classic.
Seniors guards Oreyana Curry, Emily Zgoda and Olivia Savage took leading roles. Curry stuffed the box score with 19 points, five assists and five steals. Emily Zgoda knocked down 3-point shots and finished with a career-high 18 points. Savage scored on 7 of 9 shots from the field to contribute 17 points.
"I thought we walked big and came ready to play," Head Coach Doreen Carden said. "I hope they continue to play like this the rest of the year. Emily and Olivia are open a lot. I have always told them it would keep us in games if they could hit open shots."
Savage knocked down a pair of 3-point shots and Evelyn Wischmeyer and Zgoda added baskets in the paint as Albion opened up a 20-9 lead late in the first quarter.
Curry hit from 3-point range on Albion's final possession of the second quarter as Albion took a 40-28 lead to the locker room at halftime.
Albion extended the margin to 44-28 when Savage made layups on the first two possessions of the third quarter. The Britons led by at least 11 the rest of the way.
Emily Bernas knocked down a pair of shots from 3-point range and Savage tacked on a layup as Albion built its largest lead of the day, 66-39, with 7:11 to play.
In addition to scoring, the guards gave Capital fits with traps that forced the Crusaders into 22 turnovers.
"We started to play more up tempo than we have in the past – putting pressure on people," Carden said. "It forced them into a lot of turnovers and by the end of the game we were wearing them down."
Albion, 2-0 on the young season, will take on tournament host the College of Wooster at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon.
