GREEN BAY, Wis. (Interstat) — The Green Bay Phoenix, leaning on a dominant first-half performance and a game-high 17 points from Jenna Guyer, weathered a late surge to defeat the Fort Wayne Mastodons 69-57 in a Horizon League women’s basketball game Wednesday night at the Resch Center.

A crowd of 1,808 saw the Phoenix improve to 14-5 overall, while Fort Wayne dropped to 11-8.

The most critical phase of the contest was its opening 20 minutes, where Green Bay established a commanding lead that ultimately proved insurmountable. The Phoenix exploded out of the gate, shooting efficiently and capitalizing on Fort Wayne’s offensive struggles to build a 43-29 halftime advantage.

Green Bay set the tone immediately, opening the game on a 13-2 run. Meghan Schultz of Waukesha, Wisconsin, scored the game’s first basket on a Guyer-assisted layup just 45 seconds in, and the Phoenix defense forced the Mastodons into a series of early misses. Fort Wayne found brief momentum behind Rylee Bess of Pickerington, Ohio, who hit two first-quarter three-pointers, but Green Bay’s offensive balance was overwhelming.

The Phoenix shot 48.5 percent from the field in the first half, assisted by a 21-point first quarter. Guyer, a 6-foot-2 sophomore from Circle Pines, Minnesota, was instrumental, scoring 11 before the break. Her backcourt mate, Maddy Skorupski of Clarkston, Michigan, facilitated the offense with six first-half assists and added eight points. Inside, Schultz provided a strong presence, scoring nine of her 12 points in the first two quarters.

Fort Wayne, conversely, was plagued by cold shooting throughout the half, connecting on just 10 of 33 field goal attempts. While the Mastodons managed 17 points in the second quarter, they could not consistently string together stops to cut significantly into the deficit. Green Bay’s lead ballooned to as many as 16 points before halftime, fueled by a 9-0 run that included a three-pointer from Kristina Ouimette of Minocqua, Wisconsin, and a layup from Kamy Peppler of Hortonville, Wisconsin.

The third quarter saw Green Bay maintain its double-digit cushion, extending the lead to 63-43 by period’s end. The Phoenix continued to share the ball effectively, finishing with 18 assists on 26 made field goals, and dominated inside, outscoring Fort Wayne 34-22 in the paint. Guyer and Gracie Grzesk of Green Bay, who finished with 10 points, provided key buckets to stifle any nascent Mastodon runs.

However, the fourth quarter presented a stark contrast and the game’s most dramatic shift. Green Bay’s offense went cold, managing only six points on 3-of-15 shooting and committing five turnovers. Fort Wayne seized the opportunity, opening the final period with a 10-0 run over the first four minutes. Lili Krasovec scored six points during the surge, and a three-pointer from Ella Riggs brought the Mastodons within 63-53 with 7:58 remaining.

The Mastodon defense intensified, generating nine steals in the game. Hillary Offing of Irmo, South Carolina, provided a spark off the bench with six points and a steal during the comeback attempt. With 4:39 left, an Alana Nelson layup cut the Green Bay lead to 65-57, marking the closest Fort Wayne had been since the first quarter.

But the comeback stalled there. Over the final four and a half minutes, Fort Wayne missed its last seven field goal attempts and committed two costly turnovers. Green Bay’s defense tightened, and the Phoenix secured enough offensive rebounds and free throws to close out the victory. A jumper from Grzesk at the 4:15 mark and two late free throws from Guyer provided the final margin.

Statistically, Green Bay’s efficiency was the difference. The Phoenix scored 69 points on 67 possessions for an offensive rating of 103.4, while Fort Wayne posted 57 points on 69 possessions for a rating of 82.5. Green Bay also won the rebounding battle 41-35, including 11 offensive boards.

Beyond Guyer’s 17 points, Green Bay’s scoring was well-distributed. Schultz finished with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Grzesk and Peppler each added nine. Skorupski’s six assists guided the offense.

Fort Wayne was led by Bess with 10 points. Destiny Macharia of Columbia, Maryland, contributed seven points and two assists off the bench, and Nelson added seven points. The Mastodons shot just 31.1 percent from the field for the game.

According to Interstat’s ELO system, Green Bay entered with an 89.40 percent probability to win.

Fort Wayne looks to rebound at home against Cleveland State on Jan. 21. Green Bay continues its league schedule on the road at Milwaukee on Jan. 17.