Wayne State 79 Peru State 65

            Wayne State used career-high scoring nights from Haley Vesey and Kylie Hammer as the Wildcats posted a 79-65 non-conference women's basketball victory over Peru State Saturday evening at Rice Auditorium in Wayne.  The Wildcats improve to 4-1 on the year while the game was an exhibition contest for the 1-5 Bobcats.
            The Wildcats never trailed in the contest, but the visiting Bobcats kept the game respectable in the second half after trailing 47-26 at intermission.
            WSC built a 23-10 lead after the first quarter and made 10 of 20 shots in the second quarter to hold a 47-26 lead at halftime.
            Peru State outscored WSC 25-19 in the third quarter with the Wildcats leading 66-51 after three quarters.
            The Bobcats got as close as 13 in the fourth quarter as Wayne State finished with the 79-65 victory.
            Five players recorded double figures on the night for the Wildcats, led by sophomore reserve guard Haley Vesey with a career-high 16 points and freshman reserve guard Kylie Hammer with 15.
            Other Wildcats in double digits included sophomore forward Erin Norling with 15 points, senior forward Andrea Larson 13 and sophomore point guard Halley Busse 12.
            Wayne State shot 39.3 percent from the field, making 33 of 84 shots.  The 'Cats were just 3 of 16 behind the arc and 10 for 20 (50 percent) at the free throw line.
            Freshman Alyssa Marsh-Contreras was the lone double digit scorer for Peru State scoring a game-high 24 points.
            Peru State made 24 of 71 shots from the field for 33.8 percent, including 4 of 25 behind the arc.  The Bobcats were 13 for 19 at the free throw line.
            PSC edged WSC on the glass 53-52 with Busse grabbing nine boards for the Wildcats followed by Taylor Reiner and Larson with eight apiece.
            Wayne State created 21 turnovers on Peru State, 10 more than the Wildcats, resulting in a 21-6 advantage in points off turnovers for the Wildcats. 
            Hammer handed out five of Wayne State's 16 assists and also led the Wildcats in steals with four.  Vesey and Taylor Wangerin each recorded two blocked shots.
            The Wildcats open Northern Sun Conference play next Saturday on the road with a visit to Augustana University for a 3:30 p.m. contest at the Sioux Falls Arena.