Trojan women ready for CVAC opener

Published in Sports on December 3, 2004 1:55 PM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- The Mount Olive College women's basketball team plays its first home game of the 2004-05 season Saturday as the Trojans play host to Erskine in the two teams' NCAA Division II Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference opener.

Tip-off is 4 p.m. at College Hall.

Mount Olive (1-1) is coming off a 64-43 victory Tuesday over Newport News Apprentice, a game in which the Trojans' two top scorers produced all of their points in the second half.

Ladora Charles finished with 19 points and Melanie Cobb added 10 points as the two combined for 29 of the Trojans' 36 second-half points. After missing her only two field goal attempts in the first half, Charles went 8-for-10 in the second half, including 3-for-3 from three-point range.

Freshman Keona Corley made an immediate impact for the Trojans in the contest. In only her second collegiate game, Corley dished out 11 assists, becoming the first Trojan in more than eight years to reach double-figures in assists. Stephanie McCovery recorded 10 assists February 19, 1996 against Belmont Abbey.

Defense has been a key for Mount Olive in the early going, allowing its first two opponents an average of only 52.0 points per game. The Trojans have limited their first two opponents to 34.7 percent shooting from the field and have outrebounded the opposition by an average of 48.0-37.0.

Erskine (2-2) fell to Lander 52-50 Thursday. Melissa Woods and Kristy Vaughn scored 10 points apiece for Erskine.

Saturday's game is not only Mount Olive's home opener, it's also the Trojans' last home contest for more than a month. Mount Olive's next home game is January 8 against Queens University of Charlotte.

The Trojans' official return from the month-long holiday is a Jan. 3 date at UNC Pembroke -- a member of the Peach Belt Athletic Conference.

MOC Sports Information