Lions Fall 77-55 to Catawba

SALISBURY, N.C. – The Lions women's basketball team dropped a 77-55 decision to South Atlantic Conference foe Catawba on Saturday afternoon inside the Abernethy P.E. Center. Mars Hill falls to 2-7 overall and 0-3 in the conference, while the Indians improve to 6-2 overall and 3-0 within the league.

Catawba wasted no time earning an advantage as it powered out to a wide 16-3 lead with 3:07 left in the opening quarter. The Lions cut the deficit to 17-7 following a jumper by Valeriya Pokrovskaya, but the Indians maintained control of the contest and led 23-11 after one.

A Jenny Edwards layup at the 6:35 mark of the second quarter made the game single digits (25-16), but that would be the last time it was that close as Catawba ended the half with a 15-8 run to go into the locker room with a comfortable 40-24 lead.

That lead grew to 50-24 three minutes into the third quarter following an old-fashioned three-point play by the Indians. Mars Hill did not let the deficit exceed that point, but it was too little, too late as Catawba outscored the Lions 19-13 in the third and played to an 18-18 tie in the fourth to close out the 77-55 contest.

Paige Chavis led the Lions in scoring with 15, while Edwards contributed eight points and eight boards. The Lions shot 29.8% (17-57) from the field and a rough 18.8% (3-16) from long range. Catawba controlled the glass with a 33-25 advantage. Mars Hill's bench outscored the Indian bench by a total of 18-12 thanks in part to Raven Brooks, who poured in a season-high seven points.

The Lions will be back in action on Wednesday, December 14 as they continue their three-game conference road trip, this time heading to Newberry, S.C. to take on the Wolves. That contest is scheduled for 6 p.m.