Lions Fall to Lenoir-Rhyne In Season Finale

MARS HILL, N.C. – The Mars Hill women's basketball team dropped an 89-50 decision to Lenoir-Rhyne during the season finale on Saturday, February 25 inside Chambers Gymnasium. The Lions finished the year with a 7-21 overall record and 5-17 mark in the conference, while L-R improved to 17-11 overall and 13-9 in the league.

Playing in her final game for the Lions, Paige Chavis poured in a team-high 16 points to go along with her four rebounds, five assists, and six steals. Aliyah Farmer was the only other Lion to record double-figures as she chipped in 10 points and a team-leading seven boards. Mars Hill shot 29.9% (20-67) from the floor and made 8-of-16 (50%) of its free throws. The Lions were beaten on the boards by a total of 46-36.

After the Bears scored the game's first four points, back-to-back jumpers from Farmer and Valeriya Pokrovskaya knotted the game at 4-all just two and a half minutes into the contest. Chavis capped off a 7-0 spurt with a deep three that gave MHU its first lead (7-4) at the 7:09 mark. The lead would swing back-and-forth for the majority of the opening period. With the score at 18-17 in favor of the visitors, L-R used a 7-2 run to take a 25-19 lead into the second.

Lenoir-Rhyne opened the second frame with six straight to tally its first double-digit lead of the afternoon (31-19). A Destini Reed jumper made the score 34-25, but the Bears outscored Mars Hill 17-9 the remainder of the second to take a comfortable 51-34 lead into the break.

A Chavis layup at the 7:16 mark made the score 58-42 before both teams went on a three-plus minute scoring drought. L-R's Morgan Cooper ended the dry spell with a free throw that sparked a 13-2 run to end the third quarter as the Bears enjoyed a 71-43 advantage heading into the final stanza.

The lead grew to as many as 40 (89-49) in the fourth and Lenoir-Rhyne coasted to the 89-50 rout of the Lions. L-R shot 58.1% (36-62) for the game, including 8-of-13 (61.5%) from three. The Bears doubled-up the Lions in points in the paint (40-20), while also holding a 40-12 advantage in bench points.

Chelsey Romero led the Bears with a game-high 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Cassidy Joyner chipped in 11 points. L-R tallied 27 assists on 36 made baskets in the win.

Prior to the contest Head Coach Jenny Finora recognized two seniors, Paige Chavis and Sydney Comer, for their contributions to Mars Hill women's basketball.