For Immediate Release – 2/8/17 - #180
Second Quarter Stifles WildCats

LYNCHBURG, VA – The Randolph College women's basketball team hosted Roanoke College on Wednesday night in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) contest.  The visitors used a 24-10 second quarter to propel the team to 70-54 win over Randolph.

Both teams started the game on fire, as each scored on the first possession.  Danielle Rizzari hit a three, which answered a two on the other end.  Daijah Johnson sunk a pair from the line, before the visitors hit another shot.  Taylor Samuels came back with a three, giving the 'Cats an 8-4 lead just two minutes in.

The Maroons came back, tying it with four-straight free throws.  Jacqueline Hockman responded with a tough jumper in the paint, but Roanoke scored the next five to go up 13-10.  Samuels made a field goal soon after off a pass from Johnson.  However, the guests scored seven in a row, before Alexis Calloway hit a late shot, notching the score at 20-14.

Roanoke used that late run as momentum in the second.  The team scored seven of the first eight with Calloway hitting a free throw on the other end.  Calloway and Samuels followed the run with back to back shots, which brought the margin back within eight.  But the Maroons scored six-straight, including four from Cary Beahm.  Rizzari ended the run with a three, but the guests went on another burst, pushing the lead to 44-22.  Hockman hit a jumper with 30 seconds on the clock, putting the deficit at 20 entering the break.

The 'Cats came out of the intermission quick, as Hockman and Harris each hit layups in the first minute.  The teams then traded six-point bursts, with the WildCats coming on two threes by Rizzari.  Points continued to be exchanged, as Johnson, Harris, and Calloway helped bring the deficit down to 16.  But Allison Yeaw hit a shot at the buzzer to put Roanoke in the lead 59-40.  The fourth saw both teams playing solid defense and keeping each other off the scoreboard for most of the period.  Despite a Harris and-one and five points late by Jennifer Weigle, the Maroons held on for the victory.

Rizzari led the WildCats with 14 points on the night.  Samuels had nine points and five rebounds, while Calloway pulled down 13 caroms off the bench.  Johnson blocked three shots and assisted on five baskets.  Beahm led the Maroons (9-13 overall, 4-9 ODAC) with 23 points and 15 rebounds.

Randolph (11-11, 6-7) will head back on the road this weekend, traveling to Eastern Mennonite University (15-6, 10-3).  It will be the first game of a doubleheader, with tip-off coming at 1 p.m.

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