RALEIGH, N.C. – The Randolph College women's basketball team fell behind early and could not mount enough offense to make a run as the WildCats fell to the Pacers of William Peace University Sunday afternoon 76-51 in non-conference action from the Herrman Student Center.

                The hosting Pacers (2-1) sprinted out to a quick 11-0 lead, as Krystal Wiliams and Callie Yohn combined for nine of the first 11 for William Peace. Sophomores Chelsea Tyler (Richmond, VA/Henrico) and Megan Russell (Pinnacle, NC/West Stokes) helped Randolph (1-2)  make a charge, as the pair teamed to pull Randolph to within five at 12-7.

                The lead would hover around double digits for most of the half, but Randolph would pull to 11 at the half as Brandie Witt (Bedford, VA/Liberty) knocked down a jumper  at the buzzer to make the score 36-25. Randolph shot 34.5 percent (10-29) from the floor in the opening half, but turned the ball over 15 times. Also, the Pacers were 12-of-16 at the line in the first period.

                The second half would prove to be much of the same for the WildCats, as William Peace grew its lead to as much as 27 in earning its second win over an Old Dominion Athletic Conference opponent in as many tries this season.  

                Tyler finished as the high scorer for the WildCats Sunday, as she posted 11 points, going three-from-three from downtown. Russell had 10 points on five-of-eight shooting from the floor, and junior Emilee Dunton (Forest, VA/Brookville) had 10 points in only 18 minutes. Sophomore Allie Druffel (Centreville, VA/Westfield) led the team in rebounding, corralling a game-high seven caroms.

                The WildCats shot 31.1 percent from the floor on the contest, though they shot seven-of-17 (41.2 percent) from deep. The downfall for the WildCats was their turnovers, as they gave the ball away 29 times in the contest. Randolph did win the rebounding battle though, posting 45 boards to the 36 from their hosts.

                WPU was paced on the afternoon by the game high 17 points from Williams, dishing out six assists. Crystal Alston had 12 points, seven steals and three assists, and Yohn chalked up 14 points, five boards, four blocks and three steals. The Pacers shot 46.7 percent from the field on the afternoon, knocking down six-of-13 from three-land. William Peace had 20 assists on 28 made field goals.

                Randolph College will return to the floor this Wednesday evening when it opens Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) play with a road trip to Emory & Henry College for a 7 p.m. tip-off with the Wasps in the King Center.

--RANDOLPH--