CHARLESTON -- Unable to work their way back from a 17-point first quarter deficit to the Delta Bobcats Thursday night, the Charleston Lady Bluejays fell 66-40.
"We've had a problem, but (assistant coach Dollette Jones) and I can't really figure out what it is," Charleston head coach Josh Thompson said. "We're having a hard time getting started in the first half. First quarter especially."
Though the Lady Bluejays were the first to strike in the first frame when Gabrielle Quinn connected on a free throw, the rest of the quarter was all Delta.
Going on 8-0 and 12-0 runs respectively, the Lady Bobcats went up by 17-points by the end of the frame with only Charleston's Eneikqua Ewing hitting a 2-pointer to break up the two runs.
As soon as the second quarter began, the Lady Bluejays (2-3) appeared to awaken from their offensive slump and started to keep pace with Delta's (4-3) offense.
Thanks in part to Ewing's seven points in the frame, Charleston, at one point, went on a 7-2 drive that forced the Bobcats to call a timeout with 4:21 left before the half.
The Lady Bobcats responded after the timeout going on an 8-0 run led by Samantha Bartel's five points in that span before going into the break up 38-18.
After the break, the Lady Bluejays fought to try and work their way back into the game, but Delta's potent offense was too great.
Following another quarter where the Lady Bobcats added four points to their lead to go into the final frame up 55-31, all Delta had to do was keep the clock running in the fourth to secure the win.
"Offensively, I thought we pushed the ball well," Delta head coach Randy Smith said. "We got some easy looks. (Charleston's) short-handed with a couple players due to injuries and I was just proud we could get up and down the court because we had three kids with the flu."
Leading the Bobcats, Samantha Bartels put up 22 points on the night while Parks and Machela VanGennip contributed 14 and 13 points, respectively.
As for the Bluejays, Ewing was a force on the inside, scoring 20 points, including all nine of her team's fourth quarter points, while grabbing 14 rebounds and three steals.
Taylor Duenne was second on the team with 14 points and six rebounds.
Though he would like to see his girls come out of the gate quicker, Thompson was proud of their effort and attitude in the second half.
"We talked at halftime and made some adjustments that came out really well," he said. "We had girls play really hard. Gabby Quinn is tired as can be, but she went after everything she possible could.
"Ewing down low was getting hammered, but she didn't get frustrated. I took her out a couple of times when she was getting tired, but she was like, 'coach I want to go back in there.'"
Delta 20 18 17 11 - 66
Charleston 3 15 13 9 - 40
DELTA (66) -- Rachel Bartels 4, Katelyn Williams 2, Machela VanGennip 13, Macey Parks 14, Tori Burton 11, Samantha Bartels 22. FG 28, FT 9-14, F 12. (3-pointers: Samantha Bartels 1. Fouled out: VanGennip).
CHARLESTON (40) -- Makayla Thompson 1, Gabrielle Quinn 5, Taylor Duenne 14, Eneikqua Ewing 20. FG 13, FT 9-23, F 12. (3-pointers: Duenne 3. Fouled out: none).