Take a look back on Ashland’s tournament run
Ashland University sophomore forward Andi Daugherty (30) was named 2016 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament
Most Valuable Player after averaging 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds,
3.0 assists and 1.7 blocks, and shooting 50.0 percent from the field
and 87.5 percent from the free-throw line, in home wins over Northern
Michigan, Walsh and Grand Valley State. Photo contributed to The Beacon
ASHLAND – In the 68-59 semifinal victory over Walsh, sophomore forward and River View graduate Andi Daugherty led the way for Ashland University with 23 points, six rebounds and three assists.
Freshman guard Maddie Dackin came off the bench to score a career-high 14 points, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range. Sophomore forward Laina Snyder added 11
points, a team-high seven boards, two assists and two steals.
The Eagles made 26-of-34 free throws (76.5 percent) and turned 16 Cavalier turnovers into 16 points.
The 70-53 title game win over Grand Valley State saw Daugherty post her 14th career double-double – 17 points and 10 rebounds – en route to earning GLIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
Daugherty ended the game with 900 career points.
Senior guard McKenzie Miller scored 12 points, and has 803 for her career – and conference titles as a freshman and a senior.
Joining Daugherty on the all-tournament team were Snyder (eight points, 10 boards, two steals) and junior point guard Alex Henning (nine points, six rebounds, two
assists, three steals).
Ashland finished the game 12-for-12 at the free-throw line, and with a decided 44-28 rebounding advantage. The Eagles kept GVSU to 29.6-percent shooting from the floor.
“It was a really fun weekend,” said Ashland head coach Robyn Fralick, “to be here at Kates, to have that little bit of time where you can really pause and kind of soak it in
and celebrate winning the tournament. Cutting down the nets – there’s a real joy that’s saturated in that. It was fun to see them just really enjoy that moment.”
Ashland University’s women’s basketball team will now play host to the 2016 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional tournament at Kates Gymnasium on March 11, 12 and 14 – and can earn three of the six wins it needs for a second national championship in four seasons at home.
The No. 3-ranked Eagles (30-1) will begin regional play on March 11 at 5 p.m. against Ursuline (25-3) in a matchup of head coaches who were former AU assistants – Ashland’s Robyn Fralick and Ursuline’s Shannon Sword.
The Eagles come into the regional tournament on a nine-game winning streak, and on a 29-game home winning streak – the second-longest active streak in Division II behind Limestone’s 42.
Ashland’s 30 wins are third-most in program history (37 in 2012-13, 33 in 2011-12).
