FERRUM, Va.  Methodist University women's basketball was on the road Saturday afternoon, December 9, for a non-conference contest with Ferrum College. The Monarchs gave themselves a six point lead at the end of first quarter and that was enough for them to maintain on their way to a 55-49 win over the Panthers.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Methodist def. Ferrum, 55-49
Records: Methodist 5-2, Ferrum 5-4
Location: Swartz Gym; Ferrum, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Two early turnovers by Ferrum led to a Jessica Drake three and an Aniyah Tate jumper, which gave Methodist a quick 5-0 advantage. Later, the Monarchs found themselves up 9-2 and still held the Panthers to zero field goals. In the last 2:18 of the opening quarter, Ferrum outscored Methodist 4-2 to keep the score within two possessions, 12-6, heading into the second frame.
• Drake and Melissa D'Oleo attempted to push the Monarchs lead further after nailing back-to-back threes but the Panthers matched that with their own six points. Following a three minute span of no scoring, an eight point swing by Ferrum made it a one-point game, 23-22. Right before the half though, with two seconds left, Jillian Peterson of Methodist knocked down her own three-pointer.
• The Monarchs three-point game continued at the start the third as Drake recorded her third triple and put Methodist up 29-22. The lead of the Monarchs would disappeared though as the Panthers tallied seven consecutive points to tie the ballgame. From their Methodist went on a 10-0 run to go back up. During the last 2:30 of the quarter, Ferrum was able to outscore the Monarchs 8-4 to make it a six-point game once more, 43-37.
• D'Oleo began the fourth by registering the first five points, a jumper & a three, for Methodist and gave her team their largest lead of the contest, 48-37. A couple of four point spurts by the Panthers helped trim the deficit to five, 54-49, but time ran out for Ferrum to make any comeback.

MORE TO IT

• Drake recorded a game-high 18 points after going 4-of-6 from behind the arc, 4-of-9 overall, and 6-for-6 from the free throw line. D'Oleo was the only other Monarch to reach double digit scoring with 12.
• Of the 41 total rebounds by Methodist, 18 of them were offensive and that led to 17 second chance points for the Monarchs.
• As a team, Methodist shot 50%, 7-of-14, from three, while shooting 34% from the field, 18-53.
• D'Oleo and Tate continue to have active hands and that led to steals. For their efforts the two of them have now registered 100+ steals in their respective careers.

UP NEXT
Methodist will be on the road once more with a non-conference game against Virginia Wesleyan University on Thursday, December 14. Tip-Off is scheduled for 6 PM.