Eagles Open Cougar Holiday Tournament with Dominant Victory
East Peoria, IL- The #2 Kirkwood Eagles Women's Basketball Team opened play at the Cougar Holiday Tournament on the campus of Illinois Central College in East Peoria, Illinois, with a commanding 89–40 win over Palm Beach State College on Sunday afternoon.
Kirkwood wasted no time setting the tone, jumping out to a 26–13 lead after the first quarter and extending the advantage to 47–28 by halftime. The Eagles delivered their most decisive stretch after the break, locking down defensively and outscoring Palm Beach State 26–4 in the third quarter to put the game well out of reach.
The Eagles shot an efficient 52.2 percent from the field and controlled nearly every statistical category, including a 45–28 edge on the glass. Kirkwood's defense forced 27 turnovers, which turned into 34 points on the other end, while the Eagles also dominated the paint with 54 points inside.
Kirkwood's depth was on full display, as 14 different players found the scoring column and the bench accounted for 48 points. Erianna Moeschter led the Eagles with 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. Olivia Wren added 11 points and was perfect from three-point range, knocking down all three of her attempts. Kaci Crum chipped in nine points and five rebounds, while Olivia Bailey scored eight points in limited minutes off the bench.
Additional contributions came from Amari Ogleton with eight points, Madison Stowater with six points and four rebounds, and Bra'Ja Torry, who finished with five assists to help orchestrate the offense.
Kirkwood will remain in action at the Cougar Holiday Tournament today, returning to the floor at 2 p.m. to take on Lake Land College as the Eagles continue their holiday slate in East Peoria.
