Women win on senior day, finish second in NE10

The Owls closed out their home schedule with a dominating 88-63 win over Saint Michael’s College on Feb. 21.

The night was dedicated to celebrating the team’s senior class, a group that has helped shape the team’s identity over the past few seasons.

“They’re amazing human beings and really talented, skilled basketball players,” Head Coach Kate Lynch said.

The game did not start off how it ended for the university. Both teams battled through a tight first quarter, with the Owls holding a slim 19- 17 advantage after the opening 10 minutes.

The Owls then went on a 24-4 run, turning that two-point game into a commanding lead. During this stretch, the university shot 9-13 from the field and 406 from the three-point line, showing off their offensive rhythm.

Guard Taeya Steinauer, a sophomore, scored 12 of the team’s 24 points during the run, helping push the Owls ahead 37-19.

The university continued to bring the heat, outscoring Saint Michael’s 18-2 over the first five minutes of the second quarter.

To cap off the half, guard Ally Sentance, a senior, made a contested three pointer at the buzzer, sending the Owls into the break with a commanding 49-27 lead.

For Sentance, the moment made senior night even more memorable.

“I was feeling it,” Sentance said. “It brought a lot of hype to the team going into the second half.”

The Owls wasted little time building on that momentum to open the second half. Things started to slow down for the Owls, as Saint Michael’s responded with a 20-9 run, but that only cut the lead to 63-47 with just a minute remaining in the third quarter.

The Purple Knights may have trimmed the margin, but it was not threatening.

In the fourth quarter, the Owls quickly put the game out of reach. The university opened the period on an 8-0 run, highlighted by a pair of three-pointers from forward Rheyna Steinauer, a senior.

R. Steinauer has been one of the NE10’s most consistent offensive threats this season and is the only player in the conference to record multiple 30-point performances.

In the final minutes of the game, Lynch benched the senior starters, who received an ovation from the home crowd. Steinauer led the team with 22 points, adding six assists and three steals.

Fellow senior Sentance finished with 18 points as both players shot 5-7 from beyond the arc.

Guard Hope Fox, a senior, added 16 points and six assists, continuing the strong showing from the older players.

While the seniors made their mark on the court, they say the program has left an even greater impact on them.

“I have learned how to persevere with some adversity,” Fox said. “I also have met a lot of people, some I call my best friends.”

Steinauer echoed those feelings about the program’s impact on her life.

“It’s a great community, and it’s made me better every day,” Steinauer said.