Boxscore
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Lightning had four scorers in double-figures but had no answer defensively for the Firebirds' Jamilia Bonner, as she burned Goldey-Beacom for 30 points in an 86-74 win by the University of the District of Columbia on Sat. night in the American International College Classic.
Bonner is the first opposing player to score 30 points against GBC since Adele Laskowski of Dominican College dropped 32 on the Lightning on Jan. 11, 2009. UDC's 86 points is also the most allowed by a Jen Carleton-coached team since Dec. 20, 2008 when the Lightning allowed 91 to West Chester.
The loss drops GBC to 1-2 on the season while UDC improves to 2-0. In the Division II era, the Lightning have not fared well in the first three games of any season dating back to 2002-03. Despite a run that has included four Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference playoff appearances and a CACC championship last season, the Lightning are notorious for slow starts as they have never won more than one of their first three games to begin the season.
In the absence of senior captain
Jacinda Jones, the team's leading scorer the past two seasons, four Lightning scorers reached double-figures led by junior forward
Irene Hudson's 19. Redshirt-junior guard
Ashley Rosario topped her career-high 16-point performance earlier in the week as she turned in 18 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the field. Also, junior forwards
Devonne Richardson (17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists) and
Akilah Sewell (12 points, 12 rebounds, two blocks) recorded double-doubles for GBC.
Bonner, who scored her 30 points on 11-of-19 from the field (6-of-13 from three-point range) led three Firebirds in double-figures as she was helped by Lauren Brittingham (12 points) and Jannelle Junior (11 points).
Goldey-Beacom out-shot UDC 47-percent to 38-percent from the field and held a 26-17 rebounding advantage in the first half as the Lightning went into intermission with a 43-36 lead. Rosario was the hot-hand in the first half, leading GBC with 12 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field. The Firebirds had rushed out to a 20-9 lead through six minutes of play when Richardson knocked down the Lightning's lone three-pointer of the night to jumpstart a 13-1 GBC rally that resulted in a 22-21 lead. Trailing 32-26 at the 6:15 mark, the Lightning went on a 17-4 surge to claim a seven-point halftime lead.
The Lightning led by as many as 11 (49-38) just past the 18-minute mark of the second half. They were still seemingly in the driver's seat approaching the 15-minute mark with an eight-point cushion when suddenly the Firebirds erupted for 23 of the game's next 29 points in a span of 7:28 to take control of the game with a 69-60 lead. GBC committed nine of its 16 second-half turnovers in that span and UDC cashed those in for 13 points. For the game, the Firebirds turned 26 Lightning turnovers into 32 points. GBC could get no closer than four the rest of the way as a late three-pointer by Bonner and a 1-of-2 trip at the line by Junior gave the Firebirds the win by the largest margin held by either team all night, 86-74.
GBC takes on tournament host American International tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. at Butova Gymnasium.
