GALLATIN, TENNESSEE— A 10-0 start propelled the Central College women's basketball team back above the .500 mark with a 69-56 non-conference victory over Roanoke College (Va.) Tuesday.
           
Competing in suburban Nashville, Tennessee, the Dutch (6-5) got 11 points off the bench from senior guard Kassidi Steel (New Sharon, North Mahaska HS) and 10 from guard Abby Johnson (junior, Ankeny) and center Allison Van Gorp (junior, Pella, Pella Christian HS). Van Gorp also had 13 points for her 15th career double-double and fourth of the season.
           
Central took its 10-point lead in the opening 3 minutes and stretched it to 16-3.
           
"That was one of the things that we hit on most in the locker room before the game," coach Justin Weiland said. "Fifty percent of these games is just coming out and having more energy than the other side and, yeah, that was huge."
           
Roanoke (5-4) narrowed the gap to 21-20 early in the second period after a 9-0 run and took a brief 29-26 lead with 4:48 remaining in the half. But a bucket by point guard Emily Naughton (freshman, Indianola) put Central up 34-33 at intermission. The Dutch opened the second half with an 8-2 burst and never trailed again, leading by as many as 19.
           
Weiland gave the bench extended minutes as all 15 players saw action and none for more than 21 minutes.
           
"That's our depth," he said. "I mean, if we can save some legs, we will. These back-to-back games are always a little hard."
           
And he liked what he saw from the reserves.
           
"There were some spells where we got into a little bit of trouble but for us to have another 29 points from the bench tonight is huge," Weiland said. "And our defense was pretty solid."
           
Steel, who missed several games early in the year due to injury, hit two of Central's 12 3-point goals.
           
"She's kind of the heart and soul of the team," Weiland said. "At some point, we'd love to get her in the starting lineup, but if she can be that leader in the second unit and then finish games with the starters, that's great. She was able to get 18 minutes and be super-efficient, strong defensively, 11 points, five rebounds, three assists. That's what Kassidi does."
           
Central outshot Roanoke 44.6% to 36.7% and dominated the glass, 47-28. Point guard Jasmyn Williams (sophomore, Denver, Colo., Arvada West HS) had four assists while Steel had two steals.
           
Central 6-5 continues play in its first appearance in the Volunteer State with a 3 p.m. game Wednesday against Gallaudet University (D.C.). The Dutch won the teams' only previous meeting, 59-57 in Washington, D.C. in 1990. Gallaudet took a 5-5 record into a Tuesday night contest with North Park University (Ill.).