LYNCHBURG, Va.  Kayla Goldsmith, Chandler True and Logan Lee all cracked double-digits in scoring for Methodist's women's basketball team Tuesday evening, but the visiting Monarchs came up short in the fourth quarter in falling, 76-65, to Randolph College in a non-conference game at the Wildcats' RAD Center.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Randolph def. Methodist, 76-65
Records: Methodist 1-3, Randolph 2-4
Location: RAD Center; Lynchburg, Va.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Trailing by just a point, 48-47, at the start of the fourth quarter, Methodist surrendered nine unanswered points before a Tyzarea Alexander layup would break the string.
• A Kadie Snipes steal on Randolph's ensuing possession would eventually finish with a layup from Kodi Centry that cut the deficit to six, 57-51, but that would be the closest the Monarchs would get over the remaining five minutes.
• The end result contrasted the beginning of the night for Methodist, which got off to the start it was looking for in playing on the road.
• Chandler True's 3-pointer opened the game's scoring and enabled the Monarchs to play from ahead over the rest of the first quarter and on through to halftime.
• Whittled down to a one-point edge, 15-14, early in the second frame, Methodist pushed back and stretched the lead to seven on a Kodi Centry layup, a Centry defensive rebound that turned into a trey from Kadie Snipes, and the second of two free throws by Goldsmith.
• The advantage eventually blossomed to eight, 25-17, with 2:47 left in the half. But Randolph battled to within one late, only to see Goldsmith extend the lead to three, 27-24, just before the second-quarter horn.
• The Methodist lead was by as many as five through the opening minutes of the third quarter only to have the Wildcats claw back and move in front, 36-35, at the 6:01 mark for their first lead of the game.
• Three lead changes and three ties led up to the end of the third 10-minute session, which left Randolph heading into the final quarter with that 48-47 lead.

BOX FAX

• Methodist ended the evening with a slim 44-43 edge in rebounding and a 15-7 advantage in second-chance points.
• A tough, but not debilitating, first half from the floor, shooting 30 percent, was much improved in the second half as the Monarch hit for 47 percent over the final 20 minutes.
• Stats that made a difference, though, were turnovers and free throws. Methodist committed 23 turnovers, from which the Wildcats were able to generate 18 points.
• And while the Monarchs' 37 percent (3-of-8) night from the free-throw line was not an advantage, Randolph making its way to the charity stripe 28 times -- even if it only matched Methodist's percentage figure -- was definitely a big help for the home team as it dropped in 20 of those chances to finish at 71 percent.
• Goldsmith and True each pocketed 15 points in the loss, with Logan Lee adding 12 to put three in double figures. True's numbers were buoyed by a 4-for-9 evening from behind the arc.
• Centry scored six points but led the Monarchs on the glass with 10 rebounds.
• The Wildcats got 21 points and 12 rebounds from Kaylyn Banks who notched a double-double in the victory.
• Banks and the four other starters for Randolph cracked double digits, while the bench supplied a total of six points.

NEXT UP
Methodist will continue its early-season road swing with its next game, a Sunday-afternoon visit to Salem, Virginia, where it will play host Roanoke College in a non-conference 2 p.m. contest.