BOX SCORE

Farmville, Va. - The Longwood University women's basketball team dropped a heartbreaker this afternoon to visiting Slippery Rock 63-59 in the final game of the C&L Lancer Classic.  The Lancers fall to 2-3 while the Rock owns a record of 1-1.

Longwood dominated the first half on a well-balanced scoring attack.  The Lancers took an early 9-5 lead before the Rock's Amber McFeely tied the score with 12 minutes left in the half.  Longwood then went on a 19-8 run, making 7-of-8 free throws.  The Lancer advantage at halftime was 28-19.

Slippery Rock opened the second period with a 19-4 run and never looked back as Longwood only shot 32.4 percent (11-34) from the floor.  The Lancers started to come back with less than four minutes left when sophomore Amber Mason (Virginia Beach, Va./Princess Anne) connected on a three-point play.  Longwood got within thee points with less than 25 seconds to go on a Jessica Wilkerson (Roanoke, Va./Northside) jumper.  However, the Rock connected on two of three free throws in the final 10 seconds to grab the victory.

Wilkerson led the Lancers with 15 points and added six rebounds and three steals.  Junior All-American candidate Marita Meldere (Rujiena, Latvia/Lynchburg Christian) was held to just five points, but managed to pull down 15 rebounds.  Mason chipped in 11 points and five boards, while junior Catherine Dunn (Aberdeen, N.J./St. John's Vianney) poured in 11 points and nine rebounds.  The Rock was led by Jess Caso with 17 points.

For the game, Longwood went 21-65 for 32.3 percent from the floor, while Slippery Rock shot 41.4 percent (24-58), including 70.0 percent from three-point range in the second half.  The Rock outrebounded the Lancers 43-41.

Up next, Longwood travels south to take on Division I Elon Nov. 25 at 7 p.m. in Alumni Gym.