By: Jill Wunrow
GreenBayPhoenix.com

GREEN BAY, Wis. (GreenBayPhoenix.com) - The No. 23 Green Bay (3-0) women's basketball team continued its impressive shooting with an 84-53 win over Eastern Michigan (2-1) Friday at the Kress Events Center. The win extends Green Bay's regular season winning streak to 23 games which is tied for the second longest streak in program history.

After Eastern Michigan scored the first bucket of the game the Phoenix took control on the offensive side of the ball. With Green Bay leading 7-6 at the 15:43 mark, the Eagles applied its full-court press and the Phoenix answered with a beautiful pass from Sarah Eichler (Grafton, Wis.) to Julie Wojta (Francis Creek, Wis.) underneath for the bucket and the 9-6 advantage. Wojta's basket sparked a 15-0 run by the Phoenix, holding the Eagles scoreless for nearly five minutes.

"We always want to start a game fast and be the team that dictates the most, forces turnovers and sets the line of scrimmage," said Wojta who finished with a game-high 23 points.

With 10:23 to play, EMU's Tavelyn James hit a layup to break the Eagles scoring drought making it 22-8 in favor of Green Bay. The Phoenix turned the ball over and James converted for Eastern Michigan's sixth consecutive point before Ritchie drained a three from the top of the key. Adrian Ritchie (De Pere, Wis.) sank four three pointers for Green Bay in the first half, scoring a total of 14 by the break.

"I thought Adrian was really good for us tonight," said head coach Matt Bollant. "She stepped up and made shots and shut James down defensively in the first half."

James' bucket at the 10:23 mark was her first of the game after entering the contest averaging 37 points per contest in the Eagles' first pair of games. The Phoenix held the 5'7" senior to 10 points in the first half.

"Holding her (James) scoreless for that long was huge for us knowing what she did the first two games," said Ritchie. "It was important for us to focus on her and deny her the ball and we showed that we could handle our game plan with her early on."

Wojta sank her 20th point of the game off a steal and layup with 2:52 to play in the opening half, giving the Phoenix the 40-18 lead. Lydia Bauer (Lake Zurich, Ill.) continued the scoring hitting back-to-back three pointers while Quilling closed off the first half scoring with a long three from the top of the key followed by a pair of free throws after a foul called against the Eagles.

Green Bay shot 51 percent from the field as Wojta and Ritchie combined for 35 points in the first half of play, building the Phoenix lead to 50-22 at the break.

Bauer scored two threes and a jumper for the Phoenix in the opening three and a half minutes of the second half to boost the Phoenix lead to 34 (60-26).

Stephanie Sension (Hopkins, Minn.) poured in a career-high 16 points, all coming in the second half, while grabbing a career-high seven rebounds. Jenny Gilbertson (Wabasha, Minn.) also tied a career high with six rebounds.

After turning the ball over just eight times in the first half, the Phoenix committed 15 turnovers in the second half before finishing with 23. Defensively, Green Bay held EMU to 22 points in the first half before allowing the Eagles 31 in the second half of action.

"I'm not pleased overall with where we are at defensively; I feel like we did not pursue excellence in the second half and just didn't defend the way I know we can," Bollant said. "We talked about that after the game if we're going to be a team that just outscores teams or be really good defensively as well. We need to play great defense whether we are down 30 or up 30."

Green Bay finished the game shooting 47 percent from the field, 52 percent from beyond the arc and 91 percent from the free throw line. Four players scored in double figures with Wojta leading the way with 23, Sension chipping in 16, Ritchie 14 and Bauer 13.

BEFORE THE TIP: Before Friday's game Wojta was presented with a ball commemorating her 1,000th career point with the Phoenix. Wojta became the 29th member to join the 1,000-point club after pouring in a game high 21 points in Green Bay's regular season opener at North Dakota State Nov. 11.

"It means a lot to be in an elite group of players," Wojta said of the honor. "I would not have been able to accomplish it without my teammates, it's special to be a part of this team."

The Phoenix will travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico for its lone regular season tournament of the season Nov. 24-26. The Phoenix will face Illinois Nov. 24 before wrapping up the tournament Nov. 26 against Illinois. Both games will be played at 4:30 p.m.

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