LYNCHBURG, Va.- For the second time this season, the Randolph women's basketball team faced off against Eastern Mennonite as the WildCats hosted the Royals on Saturday afternoon. EMU led for most of the game despite several Randolph comeback attempts as the Royals won 61-50.

Randolph was sluggish in the first quarter as EMU got out to a 6-1 lead. Kalyn Banks (Clinton, Md./From the Heart Christian School) scored the first field goal for the 'Cats at 3:05. The Royals led 11-6 at the conclusion of the first quarter.

The WildCats were able to twice close the game to a single possession within the first minute and a half of the second quarter. EMU used a 7-0 run to go up 20-11 at 3:39 but the 'Cats countered with their own 7-0 run to again close to within two points with 1:04 left in the quarter. The Royals made one free throw and the score stood at 21-18 at halftime.

Coming out of the locker room in the third quarter, Randolph caught fire as it shot 7-of-13 (53.8%) in the period. Eastern Mennonite led by eight, 28-20, with 7:20 showing on the game clock. The WildCats closed to within two points three times with the final time at 2:52. EMU used an 11-2 run to go ahead 45-34 at the end of the stanza.

The Royal lead grew to as much as 13 points, 49-36, with 7:27 left and EMU seemed to be running away with the contest. The WildCats were able to hold Eastern Mennonite in check as they knocked their deficit to eight, 50-42, with 3:53 left to play and had a chance to close further. It was not to be in the end as EMU converted 7-of-8 free throws in the last 3:20 to pull away with the win.

Randolph overall shot 20-of-53 (37.7%) from the floor while Eastern Mennonite was 21-of-61 (34.4%). The WildCats' three-point defense shined again as it held the Royals to 4-of-20 (20%). Randolph was 6-of-17 (35.3%) for its third-highest three-point percentage of the season.

EMU had a slight 42-39 rebounding advantage. While the WildCats committed more turnovers than the Royals, it turned 12 EMU miscues into 17 points compared to 13 for Eastern Mennonite. Randolph outscored EMU's bench 25-14.

"I thought defensively we were solid in the first half but we turned the ball over too much," said head coach Steve Lanpher. "Strong games from Lanaysia and Corrinne off the bench>"

Banks had her second straight double-double performance with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Corrinne Anderson (Amelia, Va./Blessed Sacrament Hugenot) had a season and career-high 12 points and was 4-of-8 from behind the three-point arc. Lanaysia Gonzalez (Richmond, Va./Goochland) added 10 points and eight rebounds.

Randolph travels to Randolph-Macon on Tuesday to face the Yellow Jackets. Game time is at 7:00. The two teams last met in Lynchburg on January 15 which the Jackets won 54-48.