Boxscore
PHILADELPHIA - The Goldey-Beacom College women's basketball team came up just short, 50-47 in a highly-contested, defensive struggle Thurs. night at the Bobby Morgan Arena as the Lightning (3-8 overall) fell to 0-4 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference play.
The visiting Lightning trailed by eight at the break, but kept the game close throughout the final 20 minutes, pulling their way back into a tie with 9:36 left (38-38) and again with 4:33 left (44-44). After a USP turnover (one of 18 forced the Lightning forced on this night), freshman forward Akilah Sewell gave the Lightning their first lead since late in the first half. But USP point guard Melissa Rotz then nailed a short jumper to tie things up again at 46-all with 3:36 left.
A free throw by freshman Devonne Richardson put the Lightning up 47-46 with 3:04 left in regulation before sisters Marissa and Erin Chesnavich both scored to put the Devils ahead, 50-47 at the 1:21 mark. Coming out of a timeout, redshirt-sophomore guard Jacinda Jones hoisted a three-point field goal for the tie with nine seconds left, but missed. Richardson grabbed the offensive rebound, but missed the put-back, and E. Chesnavich corralled the rebound for the Devils and Lightning junior guard Janae Weldon was forced to commit a foul to stop the clock.
With 2.6 seconds left in regulation, a USP player inbounded the ball to no one and it turned into a turnover in the front court as just a very long 1/10 of a second came off the clock. However, the Lightning could not control their ensuing inbounds pass as time expired, giving the Devils (3-5, 1-2 CACC) their first conference win of the season and snapping GBC's two-game win streak.
Jones led the Lightning with 14 points. Richardson added eight rebounds to lead all players, and freshman forward Irene Hudson came off the bench to score ten points.
In the first half, the Devils jumped out to an 8-0 lead before the Lightning went on a 17-2 run to take their biggest lead of the game, 17-10 midway through the period. USP countered with a 10-2 spurt to go back on top, 20-19 and later scored the final nine points of the period to lead, 29-21 at the break.
Five minutes into the second half, the Devils still led by eight, only to have the Lightning go on a 13-5 run to tie the game at 38-38. The Devils never led by anymore than four as the Lightning regained the lead late in the game, setting up the wild finish.
The Devils finished the game shooting 45.5 percent (20-44) from the field and 70 percent (7-10) from the free throw line. Goldey Beacom was 20-53 (37.7 percent) from the field and 5-11 (45.5 percent) from the charity stripe. USP made one more three-point field goal (3-2) than the Lightning, but it was GBC who held a 34-29 rebounding advantage and outscored the Devils 28-16 in the paint.
The Lightning look to hunt down their first CACC win of the season on Sat. at 1 p.m. as they host conference newcomer, Concordia (N.Y.). Can't make the game? View the live webcast by visiting CACC.tv.
