FREDERICK, Md.--Despite 27 points and 16 rebounds from junior
forward Jen Willison, the Hood College women's basketball team
(2-7) dropped a narrow 74-70 decision to the visiting Goucher
College Gophers (4-4) Saturday in nonconference action at Gambrill
Gymnasium.
Hood started the game by drilling eight of its first nine shots
from the floor, good for an 18-7 advantage over the first 5:58. But
holding a 23-14 lead with 10:22 to play in the first half, the
Blazers went cold from the field, connecting on just two field
goals the rest of the period. Meanwhile, the Gophers outscored the
Blazers 22-5 over the final 9:38 and took a 36-28 lead at halftime.
The tandem of Leia Roberts-Brown and Amber Smith combined for 27
of Goucher's 36 first-half points.
The Gophers led by as many as 15 (49-34) in the second stanza
before the Blazers used solid perimeter shooting to claw their way
back into it. The Blazers put together a 21-4 run, which featured a
pair of triples from Allyson Lethbridge and was capped by a Sara
Wastler trey, to regain a 55-53 lead with 8:53 to play in
regulation. The Blazer lead was shortlived however as a Kiara
Dougherty putback with 6:34 to go gave the Gophers a lead they
would not surrender.
Hood knotted the score twice in the final 5:15 and never trailed
by more than six points. A fastbreak layup by Jessica Parrish
pulled the Blazers to within two, 72-70, with 17 seconds remaining
and Lethbridge was quick to foul Kelsey Myette on the inbounds.
Myette, who had connected on just 2-of-7 from the stripe coming
into the game, knocked down both free throws which proved to be the
difference, as the Blazers turned it over on their final
possession.
Willison notched her fourth double-double of the season while
Lethbridge finished with 19 points and Parrish netted 12 points and
a career-high eight assists.
Roberts-Brown led all scorers with 29 points, including 4-of-4
from long range, for the victors.
Hood is idle until Jan. 5 when the Blazers travel to Washington
College for a 7 p.m. nonconference tilt.
