BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The Drury Lady Panthers tipped off the 2025-26 campaign against Ferris State on Sunday afternoon in Michigan. The Bulldogs grabbed the win 97-67 to improve to 3-1, while the Lady Panthers start the season 0-1.
 
Ferris State got out to an early four-point lead before Audra Pasakarnis scored the first points of the season on an assist from Jazz Gray. It would take another two minutes for the Lady Panthers to score their second bucket, Pasakarnis again, this time from Raegan Halliday.
 
The Pasakarnis bucket made it a five-point game, but by the first-quarter media timeout, Ferris State had grown its lead to 11, leading 19-8.
 
The media timeout gave Drury a boost of energy, ending the quarter on a 9-4 run, led by Kaylee King. In the short run, King recorded five points and an assist.
 
Entering the second quarter, Ferris State kicked into a different gear with their full-court pressure and tempo offense. In the first five minutes of the quarter, the Bulldogs went on a 16-5 run to take a 39-24 lead.
 
Rhi Gibbons and Raegan Halliday slowed down the Ferris attack, Gibbons with back-to-back layups and Halliday a steal into a made three. The short spurt for the Lady Panthers did not faze the Bulldogs, as they extended their lead to 12 points entering halftime, 50-38.
 
Starting the second half, the Bulldogs and Lady Panthers traded punches back and forth until the four-minute mark. An Ally Schultz made three started a 13-0 run in the next three minutes. Ferris outscored Drury 26-16 in the third quarter.
 
Trailing by 22 entering the final quarter, there was no quit in Drury. Jazz Gray started the quarter with a made jumper 14 seconds into the quarter. There was no other bucket scored for the next two minutes until Gray tipped in a missed three-pointer from King.
 
After the tip-in, Ferris made another double-digit run, 10-0, to extend the lead to 28. In the final five minutes of the game, Ferris extended their lead as high as 33 points, but a Sage Stratton three in the closing seconds closed the game at 97-67.
 
GAME NOTES

• Drury shot 40.6% from the field while Ferris shot 51.5%.
• Ferris State made 20 free throws compared to Drury's eight makes.
• The Lady Panthers were outrebounded by 28 total and seven on the offensive glass.
• Drury forced 18 turnovers, only scoring 14 points off those turnovers.
• The Lady Panthers' bench was outscored by Ferris' bench 46-10.
• Rhi Gibbons led Drury with 16 points. She also pulled down four rebounds.
• Jazz Gray (14), Kaylee King (13), and Sara Mendel (10) also scored in double figures.
• Kadyn Blanchard scored 21 for the Bulldogs and grabbed seven rebounds.
• Ferris' Mia Riley had nine points and rebounds.
• Three Lady Panthers scored their first career points: Raegan Halliday, Sage Stratton, and Teague Muncy.
• Kaylee King recorded five assists, leading Drury.
• Sara Mendel pulled down eight rebounds.
• Drury is now 0-2 all-time playing in Big Rapids against Ferris State.
• The Lady Panthers are 21-5 in season openers all-time.

 
UP NEXT
The Lady Panthers return to the court on Tuesday, Nov. 18, against Saginaw Valley State. The game is set to tip off at 10 am Central.
 
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