Women's Basketball Loses Season Opener
The Lions’ women’s basketball team lost their season opener at Lees-McRae College, 82-68.
BANNER ELK, N.C. – The Lions' women's basketball team lost their season opener at Lees-McRae College in Williams Gymnasium, 82-68. The Bobcats improved to 1-2 on the season.
Autumn Ward led MHU with 14 points and six rebounds. She scored all of her points in the first half. Kelsey Espinosa followed with a double-double scoring 13 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Ansley Ricker also recorded 13 points and added four boards. Katie Stevens rounded out the double-figure scorers for the Lions with 10. She pulled down five rebounds in the loss.
Layana De Souza scored a game high 22 points to pace the Bobcats. Lauren Lewis followed with 17 points while Kerri Belcher scored 12.
Mars Hill won the rebound battle, 39-37, but recorded 19 turnovers in the contest. LMC scored 12 more points in the paint than the Lions and scored 21 points off MHU miscues. The Lions received 24 points from their bench.
The Bobcats jumped out to an 11-0 lead with 15:52 left in the first half after Taylor Collins hit a layup. LMC extended their lead to 15 points (27-12) with 11:57 on the clock when Niroska Perez hit a 3-pointer. The Lions would then settle down and go on a 17-2 run over the next six minutes to tie the contest at 29-all with 5:37 left in the half after Ansley Ricker hit a shot in the lane. Ricker then gave MHU their first lead (34-33) of the game at the 4:08 mark nailing a shot from behind the arc. The remainder of the first half was closely played with the Lions holding a 44-42 lead at the intermission. Both team hit over 50% of their field goal attempts in the first half.
LMC scored seven unanswered points to take a 49-44 lead with 17:37 left in the contest after De Souza hit a shot in the paint. The Bobcats would never trail again. The Lions fought back and tied the contest at 59-59 with 12:54 left in regulation after Ricker hit her second 3-pointer of the game. LMC answered going on a 9-2 run over the next three minutes to lead 68-61 after a Kabrina Truesdale jumper. That stretch sealed the win for the Bobcats.
The Lions will host Pfeiffer University on Saturday in Stanford Arena. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.