Boxscore
PIKE CREEK, Del. – Redshirt-sophomore guard Jacinda Jones led three Lightning scorers in double-figures with 26 points, but the Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team came up just short against Philadelphia University, 71-69 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play at the Joseph West Jones Center Tues. night.
The Lightning (1-4, 0-1), which outscored Philadelphia 35-28 in the second half after falling behind 43-34 in the first half, led 69-68 with under a minute left to play after freshman forward Irene Hudson's layup. But a breakdown on defense on the ensuing Ram's possession allowed Taylor Peltzer to go straight to the basket for a layup to put Philadelphia ahead to stay, 70-69.
GBC freshman forward Akilah Sewell missed a layup on the next trip down the floor, and the Lightning had to quickly foul Philadelphia's Kristen Blye with 15 seconds left on the clock. Blye made her first but missed her second. Hudson gathered the rebound and sent an outlet pass to Jones who would hoist a desperation three at the buzzer, but it rimmed out. The Philadelphia win improves the Rams to 3-3 (2-0 CACC) on the season.
Leading the Lightning offensively along with Jones were freshman Devonne Richardson, who posted a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Janae Weldon with 12 points and a team-high four assists. Hudson also pitched in a game-high 14 rebounds on the night to go with six points and two assists.
GBC, which came into the game leading the conference in offensive and defensive rebounds as well as rebounding margin, posted 22 offensive and 27 defensive rebounds and outrebounded the Rams 49-45.
Philadelphia led for a little over 10 minutes into the first half before a three-point field goal by Jones gave the Lightning their first lead, 18-16 at 9:54. Two more three-pointers by Jones would continue to keep the Lightning within striking distance, but a 6-0 Ram run aided by four made free-throws pushed Philadelphia's lead to seven with 1:55 left in the half.
Freshman guard Ashley Rosario hit a jumper at 1:46 to bring GBC within five, but the Rams scored the final four points of the half and took a 43-34 lead into the intermission.
Both teams came out on fire in the second half as Jones and Richardson both hit from behind the arc to bring the Lightning within five, only to have Nina Brascetta and Kate Brennan answer with a three-pointer apiece to bring the lead back to nine.
However, after Brennan's three put the Rams back up nine, GBC scored 14 of the game's next 20 points. Jones got the ball rolling with a conventional three-point play. The run also included two threes by Janae Weldon, the second one knotting the score at 57 with 8:30 left in the game.
Hudson then made one of two at the line to give GBC its first lead since the opening half. Eight lead changes and four ties would ensue from that point on.
The Lightning had its largest lead of the night, 64-60 after Richardson made both her shots at the line at 5:25, but following a Philadelphia timeout, the Rams regrouped and scored the next six points to regain the lead, 66-64.
Weldon again tied the score with a jumper to make the score 66 all. The two teams continued to battle, trading baskets for the final two minutes of play. Neither team would lead by more than two the rest of the way.
The Lightning looked like they might earn the program's first ever win against Philadelphia in this, the 10th meeting with the Rams when they took a 69-68 lead on a basket by Hudson. However, some late-game heroics by Peltzer and a free-throw by Blye sealed the Lightning's fate.
GBC is back in action on Thurs. night as the Lightning visit Holy Family University for a 6 p.m. game.
