Mishawaka, Ind. - The Marian women's basketball team pushed its season-opening winning streak to six games on Wednesday night, as the Knights won their Crossroads League opener 73-60 at Bethel University. Marian is 6-0 on the season with the win.

Marian wasted little time pushing in front 4-0, getting a layup from Kenna Kirby on its first possession, while a steal and fastbreak layup for Kiley McNally on the ensuing Bethel possession provided an early spark. The Pilots would contend in the opening quarter after yielding the first four points, as the home team kept within three possessions. A three-pointer from Taylor Double provided a spark off the bench, while baskets in the final 64 seconds from Madisyn Bailey and Zoe Wheeler ensured a Knights' lead entering quarter two. 

The Pilots would knock down a three as the opening period closed to settle at a 15-10 score, but in the second quarter, the Knights held court, outscoring Bethel by six. Kiley McNally and Taylor Double scored the team's first points in the quarter, while double converting a three-point play with 6:48 before half to push the lead to eight. Abbey McNally took over as the quarter progressed, scoring a three-point play of her own in the midst of an 8-0 run, growing the lead to 14 points. McNally's strong play secured a double-figure lead for the remainder of the first half, as the Knights would go into the locker room leading 32-21.

Like the opening quarter, Kenna Kirby started the third with a score in the paint, sparking an 8-0 run out of the locker room. Both McNally sisters and Madisyn Bailey scored in the run, as the Knights began to take control. The lead would eventually touch 21 points as Abbey McNally took over the scoring, dropping 12 of her game-high 23 points in the period. A three-point play from the twin gave Marian a 51-30 lead, but Bethel would slowly inch back before the close of the period, as they scored 11 points in the final 2:43 of the quarter to cut the lead to 15 points entering the fourth.

The Knights led 56-41 entering the final stanza, and finished the game strong with a double-digit win, holding the lead at 11 or better throughout the quarter. Kenna Kirby drained an early three to grab an 18-point cushion, fending off Bethel as Marian would go on to answer any comeback scores made by the home team. The lead shrank to the 11-point margin of 62-51 with 4:08 to play in the night, but an answer came from Taylor Double, as the junior buried a three to slam the comeback effort closed. Marian finished their scoring with a pair of Kiley McNally free throws, icing away a win as the final score settled at 73-60.

Marian finished the game shooting just under 50 percent from the floor, and were led on the night by Abbey McNally's 23-point, 11-rebound double-double. Kirby finished the night with 12 points, and Double led the bench with 13. Eva Fisher had a team-high three assists in the win, while she was one of four players to record a steal on the night.

The first week of Crossroads League play will conclude at home for the Knights, as they host Spring Arbor at 12:00 p.m. in the PE Center on Saturday afternoon.

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