LYNCHBURG, VA – The Randolph College women's basketball team led by nine points with just under five minutes to play but the visiting Avenging Angels of Meredith College used a 17-5 run over the last 4:58 to earn a 72-69 non-conference win in action from the Randolph Athletics and Dance (RAD) Center Saturday afternoon.

                Randolph played much of the game shorthanded in the post, as sophomore Allie Druffel (Centreville, VA/Westfield) went down early and Jensen Hoover (Woodstock, VA/Central) was mired in foul trouble. Despite being undersized much of the afternoon, the WildCats fought to a three-point halftime lead, as sophomore Brianna Lowry (Herndon, VA/Herndon) scored a team-leading seven points.

                The WildCats would hold their lead for much of the second half, extending it out to a game-high of 12 points with 9:15 left after a free-throw from Lowry. Minutes later, junior Brandie Witt (Bedford, VA/Liberty) nailed a trifecta at the end of the shot clock to push the lead back to 12 with just over eight to play.

                Slowly the Avenging Angels would start to mount a comeback, as Bryana Holmes and McKenzi Edwards combined for 15 points over the next four minutes to pull Meredith to within four at 66-62. Edwards tied the game with 1:45 left at 66, and Danielle Lee gave the Angels their first lead of the afternoon at 68-66 with 1:15 to play.

                Junior Emilee Dunton (Forest, VA/Brookville) answered right back with a driving right-handed layup to knot the score at 68. On the ensuing sequence, first-year Bria Carlisle (Chesterfield, VA/Clover Hill) picked up a steal and was fouled. Carlisle made one-of-two, giving the host WildCats a 69-68 lead with 50 seconds left.

                Meredith had an answer, as Tyler Gresham earned the bucket and the foul to put MC back up 70-69. Randolph had a good look with eight seconds to play, but the shot was a bit strong. After a free throw, the WildCats had another chance but couldn't convert and the Angels picked up the come-from-behind win.

                Lowry finished as the game's leading scorer, as she posted 15 points before fouling out. Carlisle posted a career-high of 11 points, adding five boards, and Chelsea Tyler (Richmond, VA/Henrico) had nine points, five rebounds and three steals. Dunton chalked up nine points, four assists and four rebounds for the WildCats, who shot 38.5 percent (25-65) on the day. Free throw shooting was an issue though, as the hosts hit only 14-of-28 from the charity stripe.

                Meredith was led by the 14 points, six assists and five points of Edwards, who was playing her first game with the Angels after transferring from Belmont Abbey College. Holmes had 11 points, while Rebekah Cox added 11 points on five-of-seven shooting. The Avenging Angels had a 49-36 edge on the boards, and shot 28-62 (45.2 percent) for the contest.

                The WildCats will try to shake this loss off tomorrow afternoon as The University of the South comes to town for a 2 p.m. tip-off in the RAD Center.

--RANDOLPH--