Second Half Push Lifts Lions to Victory at Young Harris

YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. – The Mars Hill women's basketball team used a big run to open the second half as they defeated Young Harris 61-51 in non-conference action on Monday evening in the Recreation and Fitness Center. The Lions even their record at 3-3 while Young Harris falls to 2-3

Camille Glymph led Mars Hill with 20 points, followed by Kelsey Espinosa with 11 points. Espinosa recorded a double-double as she and Raven Brown each pulled down 10 rebounds. Cadence Wilmoth contributed nine rebounds in the winning effort.

Young Harris was led by Shereese Williams with 15 points and Jasmine Knight with 13. Kaycee Cash had 10 rebounds, followed by Peyton Robertson with seven boards.

After Glymph gave the Lions the lead with a 3-pointer, Young Harris tied the score at 7 and took an 11-7 lead with 11:08 to play in the opening frame. Paige Chavis sank a 3-pointer to tie the game at 11 before the Lions took a 19-15 lead following a Sydney Comer jumper with 4:50 remaining. The teams exchanged the lead twice before Jasmine Knight tied the game at 25 with 45 seconds to play. An Espinosa layup just before the buzzer gave the Lions a 27-25 lead at halftime.

Mars Hill opened the second half on a 19-2 run as they held a game-high 17 point lead, 46-29, with 11:45 remaining. Young Harris answered with a run of their own, cutting the Lion lead to 48-41 with 9:10 on the clock. The hosts would pull to within seven points twice in the next two minutes but a Glymph jumper and Espinosa free throw pushed the advantage back to double-digits with 4:49 to play. Mars Hill pushed the lead back to 16 following a pair of Chavis free throws with 1:38 to play as the visitors held on for the victory.

The Lions outshot Young Harris 37.9 percent to 29 percent and enjoyed a 30.8 percent to 12.5 percent advantage from behind the arc.  Mars Hill held a 49-39 advantage on the boards.

Mars Hill returns to conference play on Saturday, hosting Wingate at 2 p.m. in Stanford Arena.