Penguins take a step backward

Youngstown scored just nine points in the first 10 minutes against Detroit.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the Youngstown State women's basketball team, they did.
The Penguins have had shooting problems all season long, but had been playing good defense. Saturday afternoon at Beeghly Center, even the defense left the Penguins as they were routed by Detroit 77-48.
YSU shot just 29.1 percent from the field and was just 1-10 from 3-point range.
The loss dropped the Penguins to 4-10 on the year and 0-3 in the Horizon League. The Titans improved to 5-10, 2-2 in the league.
"It was just a disappointing effort," said YSU head coach Tisha Hill. "Our lack of effort today was almost embarrassing."
Effort disappointing
"If we're not shooting the ball we have to rely on our defense, but today the lack of effort defensively was very disappointing," Hill said.
The Penguins did not have a player in double figures as junior Kristy Gaudiose and freshman Megan Snorf led the attack with eight points each.
The Penguins did put 10 players in the scoring column as Hill played everybody on her bench trying to find some help.
"I am not going to coach effort, but I'm going to find it somewhere on this team," Hill said. "I've got three players who are giving the effort, but we've got to find a couple more."
Detroit, which has now won two straight in the Horizon League, put four players in double figures led by Caitie Goddard with 20 points, while Katie Solner added 16, Joanna Cooper 14 and Kandace Evans had 11. The Titans shot 45.3 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range, hitting 9 of 18.
The Penguins never led in the contest and were only tied once in the game at 2-2.
Detroit ran off 12 straight points after the tie, including nine by Goddard, to pull ahead 14-4.
The Penguins never got any closer the rest of the way.
YSU scored just nine points in the first 10 minutes of the game, while the Titans were slowly pulling away taking a 26-9 advantage.
Run negates run
After the Penguins cut the lead to 29-15 on a brief 6-3 run, the Titans came right back with a 9-0 run to take their biggest lead of the half 38-15 with 3:15 remaining.
Detroit led 39-19 at intermission.
The Penguins could only hold their own during the first nine minutes of the second half, but then the Titans blew the game open. Three consecutive 3-point goals, two by Solner and one by Evens and an 11-0 run put the Titans ahead 59-27 with 9:21 remaining and YSU never even threatened again the rest of the way.
The Penguins will be at home again on Thursday night when they play host to UW-Milwaukee in a 5:15 p.m. tip-off at Beeghly Center. The game will be the first of a doubleheader as the YSU men will entertain Wright State in the nightcap at 7:35.