Taylor Gregory made all kinds of history on Saturday, Feb. 20, at Ariel Arena.
The senior post player scored a career-high 32 points and surpassed the 1,700-point mark in her career along the way in leading the Mount Vernon Nazarene women’s basketball team to a 70-67 upset victory over 16th-ranked Indiana Wesleyan in Crossroads League play.
Gregory was 11 of 22 from the field and knocked down six 3-pointers, including a pair of buzzer-beaters to end the second and third quarters.
She pulled down a game-best nine rebounds and added three assists for the Cougars (14-10, 10-6), who led by as many as 11 points.
Anne Secrest capped an 8-0 run for the Wildcats with a 3-pointer that gave IWU a 62-61 lead with 3:08 left. The teams traded scores before Gregory broke the tie with her sixth 3 to give the Cougars the lead for good.
The Wildcats had a chance to take the lead late, but a Sage Brannon theft with 2 seconds left helped MVNU hold on.
Brannon finished with 11 points, three rebounds and three steals; and Elizabeth Fee added eight points, seven assists and four boards for the Cougars, who have won five out of their last six games.
Dayton Groninger had 17 points and five rebounds, Baylie VanDyke added 15 points and five boards, and Secrest chipped in 13 points and eight rebounds for the Wildcats (19-6, 12-4).
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Kyle Manges and Seth Maxwell put on a display in leading top-ranked Indiana Wesleyan to a 117-78 victory over MVNU in Crossroads League action on Saturday, Feb. 20, in Marion.
Manges poured in 40 points on the strength of seven 3-pointers and dished out seven assists to lead the Wildcats (28-1, 15-1).
Maxwell went for 30 points and eight rebounds in the post for IWU, which led by as much as 38.
Dylan Alderson and Michael Thompson added 12 points and five rebounds each for IWU, which built a 60-38 lead at the half.
Jevon Knox went for 21 points, six assists and five rebounds to pace the Cougars (8-12, 7-9).
Kyle Kegley scored 18 points and pulled down six rebounds; and Kade Ruegsegger and Eric McLaughlin added 11 points each, with Ruegsegger also finishing with six boards for MVNU.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
Kyler Dickey finished first in the shot put with a throw of 16.39 meters to lead the MVNU men’s indoor track and field team at the Crossroads League meet on Friday, Feb. 19, and Saturday, Feb. 20, at Taylor in Upland, Indiana.
The men’s team finished ninth out of 10 teams with a score of 33 points, behind champion Marian (162 points).
The women’s team (22) was 10th out of 10 teams, behind winner Bethel (120). The Cougars were led by Kasey Keith, who was third in the shot put with a throw of 13.08 meters.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Jaysen Matsumoto turned in a solid performance both offensively and defensively to lead MVNU to a straight-set victory over Cornerstone in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play on Friday, Feb. 19, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Matsumoto dished out 26 assists and added six digs and two aces for the Cougars (3-4, 3-4), who won 25-18, 25-12, 25-19.
Spencer Stanley led with 10 kills and five digs, Daniel Skrzypchak had 11 digs, Riley Barretto had eight kills, and Caden Donaldson added five kills and eight digs for MVNU.
Maximilliano Hernandez had 18 assists, six digs and two aces; and Logan Chagdes had eight kills for the Eagles (0-8, 0-5).
WOMEN’S SOCCER
MVNU got two goals in a span of 7 minutes, and that was all the Cougars needed in a 3-1 victory over Lawrence Tech in non-conference play on Friday, Feb. 19, in Wixom, Michigan.
Alexa Skal scored off a Caitlin Erlandson assist at the 10:44 mark. Then, after Tech’s Lauren Wasiak had tied it up, Erlandson scored unassisted at 17:41 to give the Cougars a 2-1 lead.
Skal fed Claire Rothert for an insurance goal in the 86th minute for MVNU.
Lilly Jakuszewski had four saves in goal for the Cougars (7-6-2), and Rebecca Almandoz had six saves for the Blue Devils (4-2-1).
