OWENSBORO, Ky. – Senior
Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) scored a game-high 18 points as the No. 12 women's basketball team opened its 2026–27 season with a 66-48 victory over Missouri Western on Friday evening at the Owensboro Sportscenter in the Division II CCA Tip-Off Classic.
Competing in the Division II CCA Tip-Off Classic for the fourth consecutive season, the Golden Knights (1-0) took control early and never trailed.
Cleve Wright's squad jumped out to an 11-2 lead midway through the opening quarter before Missouri Western (0-1) trimmed the deficit to 16-11 after 10 minutes.
Gannon began to pull away in the second quarter, using a 10-0 run sparked by a Ratliff 3-pointer, four points from
Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) and a
Jenna Winowiecki (Grosse Point Woods, Mich./Gross Point North) triple to extend its advantage to 29-13. The Golden Knights held the Griffons to just seven points in the period and closed the half on a 6-0 run to take a commanding 35-18 lead into the break.
Ratliff finished 5-of-8 from the field, including two 3-pointers, and went a perfect 6-for-6 at the free-throw line.
Bella Deere (Union, Ky./Cooper) added 11 points in her first career start, while Slater contributed 10 points off the bench.
Olivia Pepple (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford), also making her first career start, chipped in eight points, a team-high nine rebounds and three steals.
Lauren Kingsley (Pavilion, N.Y./Pavilion) rounded out the trio of first-time starters for the Golden Knights, finishing with four points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
THE GAME FACTS
Score: No. 12 Gannon 66, Missouri Western 48
Records: Gannon (1-0), Missouri Western (0-1)
Location: Owensboro Sportscenter – Owensboro, Ky.
Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
THE KNIGHT CAP
- Ratliff Sets the Tone: Senior Kate Ratliff (Canal Winchester, Ohio/Canal Winchester) led all scorers with 18 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including a pair of 3-pointers. She also made all six of her free throws and finished with four rebounds and two assists.
- Fast Start: Gannon scored the first four points of the game on consecutive baskets by Bella Deere (Union, Ky./Cooper) before building an 11-2 advantage midway through the opening quarter. Taylor Ethridge (Chesapeake, Va./Catholic) knocked down a 3-pointer with 5:12 remaining to cap the early surge. The Golden Knights held a 16-11 lead after 10 minutes.
- Second-Quarter Separation: After Missouri Western trimmed the deficit to six points at 19-13, Gannon answered with a 10-0 run to take a 29-13 advantage with 2:58 remaining in the half. Ratliff connected on a 3-pointer, Mia Slater (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) added four points and Jenna Winowiecki (Grosse Point Woods, Mich./Gross Point North) capped the run with a triple.
- Winowiecki Provides a Spark: Jenna Winowiecki (Grosse Point Woods, Mich./Gross Point North) connected on two 3-pointers during the final three minutes of the second quarter, helping the Golden Knights close the half with a commanding 35-18 advantage. Gannon outscored the Griffons 19-7 in the period while holding them to 21.4 percent shooting.
- First Career Starts: Bella Deere (Union, Ky./Cooper), Lauren Kingsley (Pavilion, N.Y./Pavilion) and Olivia Pepple (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) each made their first career starts for the Golden Knights. Deere finished with 11 points and three rebounds, while Kingsley contributed four points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocked shots. Pepple added eight points, a team-high nine rebounds and three steals.
- Defensive Pressure: Gannon forced 28 Missouri Western turnovers, converting them into 29 points, while holding the Griffons to 30.8 percent shooting from the field and 21.4 percent from beyond the arc. Olivia Pepple (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) led the Golden Knights with three steals, while Lauren Kingsley (Pavilion, N.Y./Pavilion) recorded two blocks. Gannon finished with 10 steals and three blocked shots as a team.
- Sharing the Basketball: Tori Mayes (Lake City, Pa./Cathedral Prep) and Taylor Ethridge (Chesapeake, Va./Catholic) shared the team lead with three assists apiece as the Golden Knights recorded 14 assists on 20 made field goals. Ratliff, Kingsley and Katie Boal (Franklin, Pa./Franklin Area) each contributed two assists.
- Maintaining the Advantage: Pepple opened the second half with a steal and fast-break layup to extend Gannon's lead to 37-18, its largest advantage of the game. Missouri Western responded with consecutive 3-pointers from Mia Morel to cut the deficit to 13, but the Golden Knights answered and carried a 52-37 lead into the final quarter.
- Turning Back the Rally: Missouri Western trimmed Gannon's lead to 54-43 with 6:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Golden Knights responded with five consecutive points, including a jumper by Bella Deere (Union, Ky./Cooper) and a 3-pointer from Ratliff, to restore a 16-point cushion at 59-43.
- Bench Contributions: Gannon received 25 points from its reserves, highlighted by Mia Slater's (Canberra, Australia/Canberra Grammar School) 10 points and Jenna Winowiecki's (Grosse Point Woods, Mich./Gross Point North) six. Slater shot 3-of-7 from the field, while Winowiecki knocked down two 3-pointers during the second quarter.
- Controlling the Glass: The Golden Knights held a 41-40 rebounding advantage and grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, generating 16 second-chance points compared to five for Missouri Western. Pepple led Gannon with nine rebounds, while Kingsley collected seven.
- Containing the Griffons: Missouri Western made just 16 of its 52 field-goal attempts and was held to 18 first-half points on 28 percent shooting. Mia Morel led the Griffons with 17 points, while Nakiya Harris added seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Up Next
Gannon concludes play at the Division II CCA Tip-Off Classic in Owensboro, Kentucky, on Saturday, November 7, against Harding. Tip-off is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET.
This story was written using the support of AI.
