ELKINS, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Women's Basketball team picked up their first conference win of the year in a 92-85 road victory over Davis Elkins on Saturday.
 
D&E couldn't have asked for a better start, as they held FSU scoreless for the first three minutes, making a pair of free throws, a jumper, and back-to-back threes to lead 10-0. Freshman Zaria Gaskins got the Bobcat offense going with an and-one, while sophomore Julie Spinelli momentarily halved the deficit before another Senator triple kept them ahead by eight. Spinelli got a lay-in while redshirt sophomore Mandy Roman hit a pair at the line either side of a pair of Davis & Elkins buckets, then the former and redshirt freshman Sophie Nichols hit back-to-back layups to pull within four. With three minutes to go. D&E made their fourth long-distance shot, however that would be their final point of the quarter, as redshirt sophomore Riley Nelson hit a jumper, Nichols converted at the line, and Spinelli hit a trey on sophomore Sydney Snyder's assist, pulling even at 20-20.
 
Neither team had much success offensively for the first four minutes of the second frame, as the only points came from junior Jenna Muha and Zaria going four-of-four from the stripe while the Senators made a basket in the lane. Within a two-minute stretch, the shots started falling, as Roman and Muha traded buckets with Davis & Elkins before the hosts split a trip to the line and made a jumper to make things 30-29. Muha then got to the line again on a pair of possessions, helping to kick off an 8-2 run in which she also got to the cup and Gaskins tacked on a jumper to lead by eight. Within the final minute, each team made a layup and a trey, with Frostburg's coming through freshman Ella Sabatos and Nichols, respectively, taking a 43-35 advantage into the break.
 
Muha and Gaskins led the Bobcat attack to start the third period, scoring the first four baskets while D&E matched them each step of the way, as FSU held onto a 10-point lead after three minutes. A layup and free throw brought the Senators back to within seven, however three combined freebies from Muha and Nichols followed by a Gaskins jumper swiftly put Frostburg back ahead 56-44 at the midway point. Both sides netted from the foul line before a pair of Davis & Elkins layups either side of one by Gaskins brought them to within eight with three minutes to go. After Spinelli converted her chance at the stripe, D&E stunned FSU with a lay-in followed by a three while being fouled to suddenly get within 61-57. A tech foul against the hosts allowed Spinelli to stem the tide, knocking both free throws down before getting into the lane for a bucket, then to end the frame, sophomores Ayla Hileman and Laekyn Flinn hit a pair of late shots to hold a 69-59 lead.
 
The Senators wasted little time in looking to pull off a comeback bid, netting a pair of layups either side of a trey within 75 seconds of the start of the fourth, getting all the way within 69-66. Spinelli hit a much-needed three to break a two-minute drought, then was found under the rim by Gaskins, who hit a jumper herself as the Bobcats clung to a four-point advantage. Hileman, Nelson, and Muha each had baskets in hopes of extending the lead, however D&E responded each time on a pair of triples and a layup to stay within 84-80 with three minutes on the clock. Hileman then passed to Muha for an easy score, while Gaskins got into the lane to finally get the desired breathing room at an eight-point lead. After a free throw split by Davis & Elkins, Hileman again found Muha, this time scoring to go with a foul, converting the old-fashioned three-point play to lead 91-81. D&E tried to pull off some late magic, going for a pair of layups while forcing a turnover, however after Nelson made one of her two attempts, they couldn't generate anymore offense, leaving the final at 92-87.
 
Muha and Spinelli led FSU with double-doubles of 23-11 and 21-11, respectively, while Gaskins poured in a career-high 19 points to go with a pair of steals and assists.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 4-4 on the year, while Davis & Elkins drops to 0-7. FSU concludes their three-game road trip at Concord on Wednesday, December 10 at 5:30 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.