WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace's women's basketball team continued its hot start to the season with a 92-45 win over Judson on Saturday.
The Lady Lancers (7-1) have now won seven games by at least 20 points. Grace is averaging 91.0 points per game.
Grace is also tied for the best start in program history, tying the 7-1 start by the 2012-13 squad.
Grace struggled with its shot to start the game. The Lady Lancers made just four shots out of 20 attempts in the opening quarter (20 percent).
The Eagles, on the other hand, shot 55 percent in the period.
But Grace's defense kept the score close. The Lady Lancers forced Judson into eight turnovers, and Kyannah Stull buried a trio of 3-pointers as Grace trailed 17-15 at the end of the quarter.
The game turned dramatically in the second quarter. The Lady Lancers produced one of their most complete quarters of the season, outscoring Judson 35-6 to surge ahead.
Grace displayed an elite defensive effort; the Eagles coughed up the ball 13 times in the second quarter. Grace's defensive pressure was highlighted by back-to-back 10-second halfcourt violations by Judson.
Vironnica Drake was a driving force for Grace's offense in the second quarter, scoring 13 points including 8-of-8 from the foul line.
Grace hit seven 3-pointers during its second-quarter outburst. Mackenzie Pulley nailed two of those triples, including one to beat the halftime buzzer.
Grace went into halftime with a commanding 50-23 lead. Drake and Stull each had 15 points, and Pulley was 3-of-3 from beyond the arc for nine points.
The third quarter saw another strong defensive display, limiting the Eagles to seven points in the stanza.
Grace pulled its starters for good with 2:44 left in the third quarter, and the Lady Lancers went into the fourth quarter with a 40-point cushion.
The Lady Lancers coasted in the fourth for the final 47-point margin of victory.
Drake finished with 19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals, and Stull had 15 points (all from 3-pointers).
Hostetler shot 5-of-7 from the floor for her 13 points, adding four assists and two steals, and Pulley racked up 12 points with four 3-pointers to go along with 5 boards, 4 steals and 2 assists.
Micaela Box scored 11 points with three steals, Lexi Minix stuffed the stat sheet with 6 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals, and Maddie Ryman scored seven points with two assists.
Brooke Treadway pulled in seven rebounds, and Kaylie Warble added six boards.
"I thought we played a really good game from start to finish. Even though our shots weren't dropping in the first quarter, we were very dominant in the second quarter," said Grace head coach Dan Davis. "Our bench continues to get better, which we will need as we come into conference play."
The Lady Lancers will open Crossroads League competition on Tuesday with a home doubleheader against Goshen. The women's game will tip off at 6 p.m. with the men's game to follow.
