December 28, 2006

BOX SCORE

FARMVILLE, Va.-- The Longwood women’s basketball team suffered a 92-62 setback against the visiting Robert Morris Colonials Thursday evening at Willett Hall.  Behind 14 second half points Ashleigh Hollman/Centreville (Westfield) recorded a career high 20 points while also dishing off eight assists in the match-up.  The Lancers fall to 5-10 on the season while Robert Morris improves to 7-3.  The Lancers look to rebound on Saturday, December 30, when they travel to VCU for a 5 p.m. tip-off with the Rams.
    
The Colonials got it going early offensively jumping out to an eight point lead just four minutes into the game after Psyche Butler and Chinata Nesbit each hit back-to-back lay-ups.  Hollman cut the deficit to five, hitting her first of three three-pointers of the night.  The Colonials forced the Lancers to take their second timeout of the half, after Robert Morris went on a 8-0 run to grab a 13 point lead.  Odessa Williams/Stratford, Conn. (Stratford) hit a jumper out of the timeout to bring the deficit back down to 11 with 13:28 to go in the half.  RMU continued their offensive pressure on the Longwood defense for the rest of the half and outscored the Lancers 30-6 in the paint to take a 46-24 halftime lead.  At the break Courtney Dyer/Richmond (Monacan) led the Lancers with eight points while Hollman contributed six points of her own.
    
After the Colonials built up a 25 point lead early in the second the Lancers began to battle back.  Hollman led the charge hitting a pair of free throws, finding Abbey Freese/West Liberty, Ohio (West-Liberty Salem) wide open behind the arc the next time down the floor and hitting a three of her own on Longwood’s following possession to cut Robert Morris’ lead to 17 with ten minutes to go in the game.  That’s as close as the Lancers would get as the RMU offensive surge was too much for the Longwood defense.
    
“Our emphasis in practice this week will definitely be rebounding and transition,” stated head coach Pamela Bass.  “This was a great learning experience for our team to see an opposition with a quick transition like Robert Morris.  Our effort throughout the game was great.  Ashleigh Hollman really lead by example tonight and Odessa Williams hit some big shots for us.”
    
Behind Hollman was Williams and Dyer who each recorded 12 points.  Hollman was perfect from the foul line, going 5-5 while the entire Lancer team shot for 43.9% from the floor.