Eagles Dominate Final Three Quarters to Secure Sophomore Day Victory Over DMACC
Cedar Rapids, IA- In their penultimate ICCAC regular season contest, the #7 Kirkwood Eagles Women's Basketball team turned a slow start into a dominant afternoon Saturday inside Johnson Hall, defeating DMACC 76–52 on Sophomore Day.
Kirkwood (25-3, 19-2 ICCAC) dropped the opening quarter 20-13 as DMACC shot 50% from the field in the first 10 minutes. But from that point forward, the Eagles took complete control. Kirkwood exploded for 25 points in the second quarter while holding the Bears to just 10, flipping the momentum and taking a 38-30 lead into halftime.
The dominance only intensified after the break. The Eagles outscored DMACC 21-7 in the third quarter, using defensive pressure and balanced scoring to build a commanding advantage they would not relinquish. Kirkwood won three straight quarters and closed out the 24-point victory in front of an energized home crowd.
Whitney Sullivan led the charge with 13 points and seven rebounds, shooting 5-of-11 from the field. Olivia Wren added 12 points, knocking down four three-pointers on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Molly Roling also poured in 12 points off the bench, going 5-of-6 from the free throw line while grabbing four rebounds.
Madison Stowater delivered a strong all-around performance with nine points, four rebounds, and two made three-pointers, while Kennedy Blakely added seven points and two rebounds. Bra'Ja Torry stuffed the stat sheet with nine rebounds and a team-high eight assists to go along with six points, controlling the tempo throughout the afternoon.
Claire Hudson contributed six points, knocking down two three-pointers, and Kaci Crum chipped in five points and four rebounds off the bench. As a team, the Eagles knocked down 11 three-pointers and forced 18 DMACC turnovers, turning defense into offense during their decisive middle quarters.
Before tipoff, Kirkwood honored five sophomores playing their final regular-season games inside Johnson Hall: Kennedy Blakely, Whitney Sullivan, Aaliyah Riley, Olivia Wren, and Madison Stowater. Their leadership and consistency have helped guide the Eagles to the top tier of the ICCAC standings as postseason play approaches.
Next Up: The Eagles will conclude their regular season on Wednesday evening when they host Marshalltown at 5:30 p.m. inside Johnson Hall.
