Women's Basketball | 11/20/2012 10:40:00 PM
Box Score LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The Methodist women's basketball team forced Lynchburg into 26 turnovers and the Hornets' Sammi Goldsmith missed a potential game-tying free throw in the game's final 40 seconds as the Monarchs held on for a 60-57 win on Tuesday evening.
After building a 16-point lead (50-34) with 11:37 left to play in the game, the Monarchs made good on just five of their final 14 field goal attempts and turned the ball over seven times as Lynchburg (1-2) crawled back in the game. Goldsmith was sent to the line with MU holding a 58-56 lead and 36 seconds remaining, but could only make good on 1-of-2 attempts at the stripe and after
T.T. Taylor secured the defensive rebound for the Monarchs,
Iesha Hayes sealed the Monarchs' first win of the season with a jumper with eight seconds remaining and LC was unable to get of a shot as Methodist escaped with the three-point win.
After leading by as much as eight in the first half (26-18), the Monarchs took a three-point lead (31-28) into the break after the Hornets closed the opening stanza on a 10-5 run. Both teams struggled from the field in the opening half, as MU shot just 32.1 percent (9-28) and Lynchburg connected on only 33.3 percent (9-27) of it field goal attempts. Methodist finished the game at 38.6 (22-57) from the floor and Lynchburg hit on 38.3 percent (18-27), but nailed 20-of-27 (.741) free throws compared to just 11-of-16 (.688) for the Monarchs. Lynchburg also outrebound the Monarchs, 38-33.
Taylor led all scorers with a game-high 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting and added eight boards, five assists, three blocks and three steals.
Christina Schrader netted 14 points, 12 in the second half, on 6-of-8 shooting.
Courtney Woods added eight points and Hayes finished with five points, four rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Chaney Forbush came off the bench to lead the Hornets with 14 points, hitting on 6-of-7 field goal attempts. She also grabbed six rebounds in 26 minutes. Goldsmith added 11 points and four assists and Lauren Penly totaled 10 points, a game-high nine rebounds and four steals.
Methodist is back in action this weekend as it hosts the two-day, six-game Turkey Shootout beginning on Saturday. The Monarchs will take on Virginia Wesleyan at 4:00 pm.
