LYNCHBURG, VA.- The Randolph women's basketball team led for most of the game but visiting Virginia Wesleyan came back and a hit a three-point shot with eight seconds remaining to come away with a 59-58 win on Saturday afternoon at the RAD Center. The Marlins improve to 2-5 overall and 1-1 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference while the WildCats drops to 2-4 and 0-2 in the ODAC.
Randolph led 7-2 in to start the first quarter but the Marlins rallied to take a 15-10 lead with 4:07 remaining. A 7-2 WildCat run, capped by a Natalie Clark (Chesapeake, Va./Indian River) layup with 38 seconds left, knotted the score at 17-all.
The WildCats were behind 24-20 at the 6:11 mark of the second quarter when they went on an 11-2 run to lead by six points, 32-26, with 1:39 remaining. The 'Cats went into the locker room ahead 38-32. In the second quarter, Randolph shot 7-of-12 from the field (58.3%) while holding VWU to 4-of-14 shooting (28.6%).
Randolph led for all of the third quarter. Back-to-back threes from Amber Garrett (Stephens City, Va./Sherando) and Audrey Antesberger (Scottsville, Va./St. Anne's Belfied), staked the 'Cats to a 48-37 advantage. The WildCats' biggest lead of the day came with 3:22 remaining in the quarter after Yanessa Cabrera (Manassas, Va./Stonewall Jackson) hit a jumper in the paint to put Randolph ahead 52-39. The Marlins, however, would end the quarter on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to four points, 42-38.
Randolph's lead stood at 56-50 with 7:26 left to play. Six straight Marlin points tied it up at 56-all with 3:49 remaining. The WildCats went ahead 58-56 on an Alyssa Morroni (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) layup at 3:03. That lead remained for all of 2:55 as both teams missed shots. With time winding down, the Marlins' Bianca Anderson drained the game winner. Randolph had a chance to answer but Morroni's shot fell short as time expired.
The WildCats went cold in the fourth period as they were 2-of-18 from the floor while Virginia Wesleyan was 4-of-12. Overall, the Marlins were 21-of-56 (37.5%) in the game to Randolph's 21-of-59 (35.6%). The 'Cats were 6-of-12 from behind the three-point arc to the Marlins' 5-of-20 (25%).
Garrett led three WIldCats who scored in double digits as she put up 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting with three baskets coming from three-pointers. Cabrera added 13 points and Kalyn Banks (Clinton, Md./From the Heart Christian School) 10 points. Banks pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and also had three steals.
Randolph next hosts Lynchburg this coming Wednesday. Game time is at 7:00 p.m.
