BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College women's basketball team hosted its annual Play4Kay Pink Out game Saturday as the Greyhounds posted 74-57 victory over visiting Elizabethtown College in Johnston Hall.
The Hounds, who are now 14-7 overall and 4-6 in Landmark Conference play, wore pink uniforms for the 11th straight year as the program raised money for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund. Moravian, which is 6-5 all-time in pink, has raised $115,153 over the last nine years while leading all of NCAA Division III in the Play4Kay contest. The day began with 27 of Moravian's alumni returning for the annual Alumni Game in Johnston Hall Saturday morning.
"It was a great day to see all of the alumni back to support the team," commented Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk. "The Play 4Kay game always feels a little more special and this game was important for us. The fan support was exactly what we needed from start to finish and the girls came together and played great."
The Greyhounds had three players in double figures Saturday afternoon led by sophomore guard Maddie Capuano, who netted a game-high 21 points to go with four rebounds, four assists and three steals. Graduate student forward Camille McPherson added her fourth double-double of the season and the 12th of her career with 18 points and 10 rebounds while senior forward Trista Cunningham had 10 points, nine boards and a career-high six assists.
Sophomore guard Karlie Brogan added eight points, three steals and a pair of assists for the Blue and Grey while sophomore forward Nadine Ewald contributed seven points and four boards. Junior forward Ariana Caiati had four points and four rebounds while senior forward Ciara Stewart added two points and three rebounds. Freshmen guards Jennifer McClave and Julia Sirotnak both scored two points.
Moravian was 27-for-63 from the floor and 9-for-19 beyond the three-point line in the game, and the Greyhounds also connected on 11-of-14 free throws. The Hounds had a 43-36 advantage on the boards and limited the Blue Jays to just 31 percent shooting in the win.
Cunningham started the scoring and the Blue and Grey jumped out to a 7-0 lead after a three-point play from Capuano and a jumper by McPherson in the first three minutes of action. Brogan added a three-point play to push the advantage to 10 points, 13-3, before Elizabethtown closed within three at 13-10. McPherson had a late lay-up in the period as the Greyhounds led 17-12 at 10 minutes of action.
Capuano hit a three-pointer two minutes into the second quarter as the first points of the period, and the Hounds had the lead back in double digits, 26-15, after two Capuano free throws with 5:16 before the half. The edge reached 16 points, 34-18, after two free throws by Stewart at 3:32, and Moravian headed to the locker room with a 38-26 advantage.
Ewald and McPherson connected on shots to start the third quarter and a three-pointer from McPherson has Moravian up 50-28 with 7:20 still to play in the period. The Blue Jays scored 14 of the next 16 points to close within 10 points but another trey by McPherson in the final minute of the quarter had the Hounds on top 55-42 after 30 minutes of action. The Blue and Grey kept the lead above 11 points for the entire fourth quarter.
Moravian is scheduled on Wednesday, February 7 in a Landmark Conference game at Goucher College with tip-off at 7:00 p.m. in Towson, Maryland.
