Crusaders deny Trojan women in CVAC play

Published in Sports on February 17, 2006 2:22 PM

• Print
• Email

BELMONT -- Teneal Boone notched her fourth consecutive double-double, but it wasn't enough as Mount Olive fell to Belmont Abbey 75-62 in Carolinas-Virginia Athletics Conference women's basketball Thursday at Belmont, N.C.

Mount Olive (12-12 overall, 7-10 CVAC) took an early 10-4 lead as Tomeka Prichard opened the game with a three-pointer, extending her streak to 12 consecutive games with a three-pointer. Belmont Abbey (13-11, 11-6) answered with a 17-4 run to take its biggest lead of the half. Nicole Woods hit 5-of-6 free throws and Whitney Robinson hit a pair of three-pointers during the run.

Keona Corley's 18-footer as the shot clock expired ignited a 12-2 run and Meaghan Vanderhorst's three-pointer with 3:55 remaining put the Trojans back on top 26-23.

The game was tied 28-28 when Belmont Abbey missed on its attempt at the last shot. Tilah Worthy pulled down the rebound with 3.8 seconds left and passed the ball upcourt to Corley, who hit from 32 feet out to give the Trojans a 31-28 lead at halftime.

The shot was the first three-point attempt of the season for Corley, who finished the first half with nine points.

After Belmont Abbey cut the lead to one to start the second half, Anita Rogers hit a three-pointer and Prichard hit a running jumper to give the Trojans a 38-32 lead with 17:39 left in the game. Belmont Abbey answered as Jeannette Johansson hit three three-pointers in a span of less than three minutes to spark a 14-2 run and put the Crusaders ahead to stay.

Belmont Abbey built the lead to 10 points, but Boone hit a pair of short baskets and Vanderhorst hit a three-pointer to pull Mount Olive within 62-58 with 3:07 left. But Woods hit a three-pointer as the shot clock expired and the Crusaders converted 10-of-12 free throws in the final two minutes, scoring their last 10 points form the line.

Boone finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds for her 13th double-double of the season. Corley finished with 12 points, five rebounds and five assists.

Woods scored 21 of her game-high 33 points in the second half for Belmont Abbey, connecting on 18-of-22 free throws. Johansson scored all of her 11 points in the second half.

Belmont Abbey finished 29-for-40 from the free throw line, compared to 4-for-11 for Mount Olive.

Earlier in the day, the CVAC announced that Lees-McRae would have to forfeit all of its eight conference wins after the school determined that one of its players was not eligible. As a result of the revised conference standings, combined with the Trojans' loss and Erskine's win over Lees-McRae Thursday, Mount Olive is out of contention for a top four finish in the conference standings and homecourt advantage in the quarterfinal round of the CVAC Tournament.

MOC Sports Information