Zias trail from start in setback

WEATHERFORD, Okla. — Senior guard Grace Anne Fath scored 22 points and grabbed six rebounds Thursday, and Southwestern Oklahoma led start to finish in handing Eastern New Mexico University a 77-56 loss in a Lone Star Conference women’s game.

Fath was 4-of-6 from 3-point range and converted on all six of her free throw attempts.

Sophomore forward Jenna Sprague chipped in 15 points off the bench for the Lady Bulldogs (8-5), while freshman center Lucy Ramon added 11 points.

Freshman guards Samantha Matta and Lacey Acker led the Zias (3-9) with 12 points each, while freshman guard Patricia Malouff finished with 10.

Southwestern scored the game’s first three points and led 8-2 after three minutes. ENMU pulled to 16-11 on a 3-pointer by Matta midway though the half, but the Lady Bulldogs pulled away for a 37-21 cushion at the intermission.

Consecutive 3-pointers by Fath kicked off a 16-0 run for Southwestern early in the second half to push the lead to 30 points. The largest margin was 34, at 62-28 after a basket by junior guard Trenice Hines with 10:34 to go.

The Zias made a determined run at that point, cutting more than half their deficit to get within 69-53 after two free throws by Taylor Sauer with 2:37 left. The Lady Bulldogs went the final five minutes without a field goal, scoring their last nine points from the line.

The Zias managed only five first-half field goals and shot 32 percent for the game (16-of-50). Meantime, Southwestern shot 47 percent (25-of-53) and hit 21-of-26 free throws.