WASHINGTON, D.C.-Sophomore Jen Willison and freshman Allyson Lethbridge combined for 41 points to power the Hood College women's basketball team (1-7, 1-2 CAC) to a 73-71 Capital Athletic Conference victory over Gallaudet University Thursday.

The contest was originally scheduled to be Hood's home game, but as a result of the closure of Gov. Thomas Johnson High School due to inclement weather, the game was relocated to Gallaudet's campus. To further complicate matters, the start of the game was delayed 90 minutes due to heavy traffic congestion in the District.

The Blazers overcame all of that and held off a late Bison rally to earn their first-ever CAC triumph. The win was also the first for first-year head coach Jay Butler at Hood.

In the first half, Gallaudet jumped out to an early 9-4 lead in the first 6:05. But the Blazers reeled off 14 unanswered points to assume an 18-9 advantage midway through the period. The run was capped by a three-pointer by Sara Wastler. From that point the Blazers kept the Bison at bay and would not trail by more than nine the rest of the stanza.

Eight different Blazers contributed to the scoring in the first half. Willison hit 5-of-8 from the field for 10 points while Lethbridge netted nine points. The Blazers shot 44 percent from the field and tallied 14 points off 12 Gallaudet turnovers.

Gallaudet trimmed the deficit to just four (38-34) within the first 2:44, forcing the Blazers to call timeout. A Brittainy Payne layup drew the Bison even (38-38) at the 16:20 mark but Hood quickly regained the lead on another triple by Wastler.

The Blazers would maintain that lead until the 8:33 mark when a bucket by Rachel Benedict knotted the score at 57-57. The Bison regained a slim one-point edge on a free throw by Payne. That lead would be short-lived as Hood responded with a 12-1 run to assume a double-figure lead with four minutes to go.

The Bison wouldn't go away though as a pair of free throws by Payne made it a one-possession game with 1:45 to go. A transition layup by Willison made it 71-66 Hood but the Bison countered with a three-pointer from Kari Olney to cut the margin to two with 45 seconds left.

After a pair of fouls by Gallaudet chewed up 15 seconds, the Bison called timeout to set the defense. On the ensuing inbounds, Whitney Boyer was fouled by Benedict and went to the line for a one-and-one opportunity. Boyer calmly hit both to push the lead back to four (73-69) and Hood used its final timeout of regulation with 24.5 ticks to go.

Priscilla Biskupiak tried to convert a runner in the lane but it was off the mark and the Bison were forced to foul. Lethbridge missed the front end of the one-and-one and Payne came down with the carom for Gallaudet. She got the ball ahead to Biskupiak who this time converted a layup with six seconds to go to make it 73-71. The Bison fouled Boyer immediately on the inbounds. She missed the front end of the one-and-one and Payne once again snared the rebound, giving the Bison one final chance to pull out the last-second victory. But a desperation three-pointer by Biskupiak was no good and the Blazers escaped with the hard-fought win. 

Willison finished with a game-high 23 points, two away from tying her career-high, while Lethbridge tallied a career-high 18. The Blazers shot 44 percent from the field and committed a season-low 11 turnovers.

The Blazers return to action Saturday at St. Mary's College (Md.) for a 2 p.m. CAC contest.