For immediate release – 12/10/2015 - #136
WildCats Done In by Second Period Run

LYNCHBURG, VA – Meredith College scored nine unanswered points in the final 1:06 of the second period to help defeat the Randolph College women's basketball team 72-60 in nonconference action on Thursday night.

The WildCats started the game off very well as Abigail Bullins knocked down a three-point shot one minute in.  Korin Harris followed it shortly after with a layup to put Randolph up 5-0.  After Kim Hinton and Laquetta Hairston each scored for the Avenging Angels, Rebecca Harvey hit a shot from behind the arc.

MC then made a series of subs, with one of them being Jessi Hayes.  She hit her first shot from deep to bring the Angels within one.  However, Bullins copied her on the other end with her second three of the game, and Harris then made a layup to put the score at 13-7 WildCats.  However, three different Meredith players scored as part of a 7-2 run over the final two minutes of the period to cut the deficit to one.

Harvey responded to a free throw with a layup to take back the lead for the 'Cats.  Hairston then made two from the line to knot the score once more.  Hope Randolph made a layup shortly after, and it was followed by another shot from downtown by Harvey to put the WildCats up five with seven minutes left.  But Meredith scored seven straight, to take the lead.  Harvey answered once again to tie the score once more, before four straight from the Angels.  Harvey then made two from the charity stripe to bring Randolph within two.  At that point, Meredith went on its run as Chandler Hines hit a three and Hayes followed it with six, including an and-one conversion as the Angels went into the half with a 37-26 lead.

Despite the run, the 'Cats came out of the intermission looking to take control.  Harris made a layup in between two baskets from the visitors, before Hope Randolph (two layups) and Taylor Samuels (one) combined for six.  The run cut the deficit to seven as the Angels called a timeout.  Hines made a three following the timeout, but Randolph responded with another run.

Harvey and Samuels converted traditional three-point plays, while Jacqueline Hockman added a free throw to bring the WildCats within three.  But Hayes hit another shot from deep to put the score at 47-41.  Harris added four points for the home cause, which was sandwiched around a Hayes basket to put the score at 49-45.  Ashley Hudson then hit a three with six seconds on the clock to put the score at 52-45 entering the final period.

The teams traded points to start the period, as Camille Gallagher and Harris made from close while Bullins hit her third three of the night.  The deficit remained at seven during that stretch.  However, Meredith went on a run to push its lead to double-digits and it would get no lower than 10 over the remainder of the game.

Harvey led the team in scoring with a career-high 15 on 5-7 shooting.  She also grabbed five rebounds.  Harris scored 14 and tied for a game-high eight rebounds.  Hope Randolph added double-digit points for the first time in her short career with 12 points.  The 'Cats outrebounded their opponents by five (39-34).  Hayes had a game-high 21 and also finished with eight rebounds in the win for the Avenging Angels (2-4 overall).

Randolph (0-8) will play its last home game before the break on Sunday.  The WildCats host William Peace University (4-3) on Sunday at 2 p.m.

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