WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – Junior guard Maddie Beyer scored a game-high 18 points while sophomore guard Miabella Diaz tied a career-high with 14 points and the Drew University women's basketball team rode a hot start to a 62-47 Landmark Conference victory at Wilkes University Wednesday evening.
 
The Rangers (9-5, 4-3 LC) never trailed after outscoring the Colonels 16-6 in the opening quarter.
 
Beyer, who also dished out four assists, knocked down a career-high six 3-pointers as Drew connected on 11 triples for the night – its second-highest total of the season.
 
Diaz added five rebounds and three steals while junior forward Gianna Pica recorded 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists. Junior center Brenna Hezel posted seven rebounds and three blocked shots for the Rangers while sophomore guard Amy Rachilla contributed seven rebounds and four assists. Senior center Gracie Hezel notched eight points and six rebounds, and sophomore guard Olivia Aliotta snared six rebounds.
 
Yamirelis Matos and Julianna Askins scored 12 points each for the winless Colonels (0-14, 0-7).
 
Pica put the Rangers on the board with an early 3-pointer before Diaz scored five straight points to make it 8-4. Wilkes answered with a bucket at the 6:13 mark, but it would be the team's final points of the quarter.
 
Rachilla knocked down a 3-pointer before freshman guard Jocelyn Kingsley snapped a 4:25 scoring drought for both teams when she connected from long distance to make it 14-6. Pica capped the period for Drew with a jumper at the 17-second mark to give the visitors their early 10-point advantage.
 
Wilkes rallied in the second quarter, when it outscored the Rangers 12-8. The hosts pulled to within a point (19-18) at the 3:33 mark of the opening half, but Drew scored the last five points of the half on a 3-pointer from Pica and pair of free throws from Brenna Hezel to go up 24-18 at the break.
 
The Rangers took control in the third quarter, outscoring the Colonels 21-8 to assume a commanding 45-26 advantage. Beyer scored 15 of her points in the stanza, when she shot a sizzling 5-for-6 from 3-point land.  
 
Drew continued to pull away in the fourth quarter and went up by 23 (51-28) on two more foul shots from Brenna Hezel less than two minutes into the stanza. The Rangers led by at least 17 until Wilkes hit a 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
 
The Rangers pick up their schedule on Saturday, when they host Juniata College at 2 p.m. in another Landmark Conference matchup.