Mount Olive women fall

Published in Sports on January 1, 2006 2:12 AM

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MOUNT OLIVE -- Lisa Richardson led three players in double figures with 16 points as North Carolina Central withstood a late rally to defeat Mount Olive 63-57 in a non-conference NCAA Division II women's basketball game Friday afternoon at Kornegay Arena.

The Trojans (7-2) suffered their first home loss of the season.

Mount Olive fell behind 8-0 and never led in the game as N.C. Central built the lead to as many as 14 points in the first half.

Meaghan Vanderhorst's 3-pointer sparked an 11-1 run as the Trojans pulled within 22-18 with 5:05 left in the first half. But NCCU held the Trojans to two points the remainder of the half and Cassie King's two free throws with 43 seconds left gave the Eagles a 32-20 halftime lead.

The Trojans cut the lead down to four again early in the second half as Sierra Medeiros converted a three-point play and Anita Rogers sandwiched a three-pointer in between a pair of Teneal Boone layups to pull Mount Olive within 36-32 with 16:19 remaining.

Keona Corley dished out four of her game-high eight assists in the first four minutes of the second half.

After a timeout, Latoya Jones connected on a pair of baskets to quiet the Trojan rally and the Eagles again built the lead to double digits. King's basket with 9:18 left in the game gave North Carolina Central a 49-38 lead.

N.C. Central led 59-46 with 4:18 remaining when the Trojans made one final run. After Tomeka Prichard hit one of two free throws, Alisa Jones made a steal and went the length of the court for a three-point play to cut the deficit down to single digits at 59-50 with 3:24 remaining.

Rogers hit a 3-pointer and Prichard hit a short jumper after the Trojans won a held ball to pull within 59-55 with 1:55 left in the game. But that would be as close as Mount Olive would get as Jones hit one of two free throws and Richardson hit a short baseline jumper as NCCU held on for the win.

Prichard and Rogers led Mount Olive with 10 points apiece. Alisa Jones narrowly missed her first career double-double, finishing with nine points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Boone, who entered the game averaging a double-double, was held to nine points and seven rebounds.

Latoya Jones finished with 15 points and four steals for NCCU, while King added 14 points off the bench. King and Richardson pulled down nine rebounds apiece.

Despite the loss, Mount Olive is still off to its best start since reclassifying to Division II in 1995. N.C. Central (9-1) is also off to its best start in school history and opens its CIAA slate Jan. 7 against Fayetteville State.

Mount Olive entertains Presbyterian (S.C.) College at 2 p.m. Monday.

MOC Sports Information