Omaha, Neb. – OUAZ Women's Basketball continued its strong start to the 2026-27 season on Friday afternoon, defeating William Penn (Statesmen) 69-53 at the Omaha Hardwood Classic hosted by the College of Saint Mary. The Spirit improve to 2-0 on the season after leading for nearly the entire contest and building a lead as large as 23 points.
OUAZ set the tone early with a dominant defensive effort and relentless work on the glass. After taking a 15-11 lead through the opening quarter, the Spirit took complete control in the second period. OUAZ outscored the Statesmen 23-10 in the quarter, forcing turnovers and converting offensive rebounds into scoring opportunities to carry a 38-21 advantage into halftime.
The Spirit continued to apply pressure coming out of the break. A pair of three-pointers from Sophia Lopez and timely scoring from Kaylona Butler helped extend the lead to 22 points midway through the third quarter. Although William Penn found some offensive momentum late in the frame, OUAZ answered every run and took a commanding 57-39 lead into the final 10 minutes.
William Penn attempted to close the gap in the fourth quarter, but the Spirit defense stood firm. OUAZ forced 24 turnovers on the afternoon, collecting 10 steals and blocking six shots while holding the Statesmen to just 26.9 percent shooting from the field.
Kaylona Butler once again led the Spirit offense with 19 points, nine rebounds, five steals, and three assists. The sophomore guard made an impact on both ends of the floor, helping fuel several key scoring runs throughout the afternoon.
Madison Symons added 17 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block in another all-around performance. The veteran was instrumental in distributing the ball as the Spirit totaled 18 assists on 27 made field goals.
Sophia Lopez knocked down two three-pointers and finished with six points, while Kendall Pickford contributed five assists and a fourth-quarter three-pointer that helped halt a William Penn rally. Tine Reiff pulled down eight rebounds, and the Spirit's depth continued to shine with 20 bench points.
OUAZ dominated the rebounding battle 50-35, including 23 offensive rebounds that created numerous second-chance opportunities. The Spirit also converted 24 points off turnovers and controlled the pace from start to finish.
With the victory, OUAZ improves to 2-0 on the season and remains unbeaten heading into its final game at the Omaha Hardwood Classic.
The Spirit will return to action on Saturday, Nov. 7, when they take on tournament host College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Nebraska.
