FREDERICK, Md. - A
Serenity Ritchie (Martinsburg, W.V./Martinsburg) three at the end of regulation sent the game to overtime, but unable to capitalize in extended play saw the Blazers fall 68-59 to the Eagles of Eastern University on Saturday afternoon.
Inside the Box Score
Serenity Ritchie (Martinsburg, W.V./Martinsburg) led the Blazers with 16 points and added six rebounds in the game.
Kourtney Johnson (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) neared a double-double with 11 points and seven boards.
Jaylah Putman (Jacksonville, Fla./Long Reach) had 11 points in the game.
How it Happened
The Blazers and Eagles traded shots throughout the first quarter with Eastern having a slight advantage after 10 minutes of play with a 21-15 lead.
Early into the second quarter, Eastern looked to separate from Hood with a shot made by Ariyana Hester, to extend the lead to eight.
A turnover by Eastern, forced by Kourtney Johnson (Silver Spring, Md./Paint Branch) led to a
Jaylah Putman (Jacksonville, Fla./Long Reach) three to cut the lead to five.
Shades of the first quarter dribbled into the second as both teams knocked down shots.
Eastern headed into the break with a slight 30-26 advantage over Hood, but the Blazers looked to counter and fight back in the second half.
Three minutes into the third quarter, the Blazers found their first lead of the game with a made layup by
Nyjah Harris (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) to the move the score in favor of Hood with a 34-33 advantage.
The Eagles battled back and finished the third quarter up by two with a 42-40 score over the Blazers.
Eastern looked to pull away in the fourth, but Hood pressed forward, and responded by each attempt from the Eagles to close out the game.
With 13 seconds remaining in regulation, Eastern had a 57-54 lead over Hood, and with the game on the line,
Serenity Ritchie (Martinsburg, W.V./Martinsburg) would make a clutch step back three point shot at the top of the key to the send the game to overtime all knotted up at 57 a piece.
All the momentum was in favor of the Blazers, but the Eagles would respond quickly into overtime with a layup made by Sophia Vera.
Eastern applied more pressure on Hood, after hitting another clutch shot to make the score 61-57.
Hood was unable to ride the wave of momentum after the Ritchie three-point buzzer beater and fell short in overtime 68-59 as Eastern put Hood's hope of a comeback win to rest.
For the Opponent
Jeriyah Johnson led the Eagles with 18 points.
Sophia Vera had a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Analysis
The Blazers shot 34.9 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three-point range, compared to the Eagles who shot 44.4 percent from the field and 26.3 from three-point range.
Hood held the advantage in bench points with 12, to Eastern's eight.
Notes
Hood falls to 3-14 overall and 0-6 in conference play.
Eastern improves to 6-11 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
Up Next
The Hood College women's basketball team will be back at home against the Falcons of Messiah University for tipoff set for 7 PM on Wednesday January 28, at Woodsboro Bank Arena.
