Starting off strong

Women’s Basketball team takes down Lewis in home opener

Defeating Lewis: FSU senior guard/forward Tricia Principe reaches for a lay-up against Lewis on Nov. 12. The Bulldogs defeated Lewis 81-72 in the season home opener. Photo By: Brock Copus | Multimedia Editor
Defeating Lewis: FSU senior guard/forward Tricia Principe reaches for a lay-up against Lewis on Nov. 12. The Bulldogs defeated Lewis 81-72 in the season home opener. Photo By: Brock Copus | Multimedia Editor
The Bulldogs started off the season with a bang as the Ferris State University women’s basketball team kicked off the 2011-12 campaign with an 81-72 victory over Lewis University Saturday at the Jim Wink Arena.

FSU sophomore guard Sarah DeShone stole the show as she totaled a game-high 30 points. DeShone was on fire as she went five-for-eight from three point range and made 10-of-14 field goals throughout the entire game.

“It was awesome, [DeShone] was deadly out there,” senior forward Lindsey Pettit said.

Pettit contributed 17 points off the bench in the victory.

The depth of the squad helped in achieving FSU’s first win of the season. The bench scoring was 27-14 in the Bulldogs favor.

FSU freshman center Christina Branch tallied a game-high nine rebounds, and four different Bulldogs had two assists.

On the other side of the court, LU’s Labrenthia Murdock led the Flyers with 19 points and four assists.

“We really came out strong, and it was a good game,” freshman guard Katie Mavis said. “We have a lot of talent and leadership on this team, so I have high expectations for the rest of the season.”

Majority of the overall team statistics for the game were won by the Bulldogs with the exception of turnovers (14-16) and assists where the Flyers and Bulldogs both notched 12 total.

After this encouraging victory, the Bulldogs turn their heads to focus on the Lander Lady Bearcats Tipoff Classic in South Carolina Nov. 19-20. FSU will face USC Aiken University Saturday for the first game of the tournament.

Mavis is looking forward to the South Carolina trip and spending time with her teammates.

“I always hear about the fun times on these trips,” she said. “I’ve never traveled that far to play basketball, but I am really looking forward to the team bonding.”

While this is Mavis’ first collegiate road trip, Pettit is preparing for her fourth basketball trip.

“I’ve been to Washington D.C last year, Pennsylvania my sophomore year and Kentucky in my freshman year,” she said.

The Bulldogs look to continue their commanding play in South Carolina as they continue to improve for the first conference game Dec. 1 at Tiffin Univeristy.