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Site: Alumni Hall (Fairfield, Conn.)
Final Score: Bluefield State 55, Goldey-Beacom 50
Records: Goldey-Beacom (15-15), Bluefield State (16-10)
Next GBC Event: Season Complete
GBC-Bluefield State Box Score: HTML

(photos)

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Senior guard Shay Gravely (Bluefield H.S./Bluefield, W.Va.) made 5 of 12 shots from the floor and scored 13 points as third-seeded Bluefield State College (16-10) held off a late run by fifth-seeded Goldey-Beacom College (15-15) to earn a 55-50 victory in the 2014 Eastern College Athletic Conference Division II Women's Basketball Championship Game at Alumni Hall on Sunday afternoon.

The win allowed the Blue Devils to finish the season with a four-game win streak while snapping the Lightning's two-game win streak in their season finale.

After the Lightning took a quick 2-0 lead just nine seconds into the game on a lay-up by junior guard Lillian Chukwueze (Cherry Hill East H.S./Cherry Hill, N.J.), the Blue Devils answered by scoring 11 of the next 15 points to take an 11-6 lead with 14:12 remaining.

The Lightning trimmed the margin to 11-9 on a three-point field goal by junior guard Taylor Leonard (John A. Coleman Catholic H.S./Lake Katrine, N.Y.) before an 11-4 spurt by the Blue Devils upped their advantage to 24-13 with 7:46 left in the opening stanza.

Bluefield State held onto its lead and took a 30-25 edge into the intermission.

After the Lightning narrowed the margin to 39-36 with 12:47 remaining in the second half on a lay-up by junior forward Chelsea Grover (Seneca H.S./Southampton, N.J.), the Blue Devils went on an 8-1 run, including four points by senior guard Kearah Jefferys (Wake Forest, N.C.), to extend their lead to 47-37 with 7:55 left.

The Lightning battled to close the gap to 53-50 with 18 seconds left, but a pair of free throws in the closing seconds sealed the victory.

While Gravely led the Blue Devils to the victory, Jefferys added eight points while recording 10 assists with seven rebounds. Junior forward Tasia Nolan (Peekskill H.S./Peekskill, N.Y.) contributed six points and grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.

Chukwueze scored a game-high 17 points in the loss for Goldey-Beacom, making 7 of 18 field goal attempts. She also tallied six rebounds with five steals.

Meanwhile, Grover posted 10 points after making three of seven shots from the field along with a 3-for-6 effort at the free throw line. She also grabbed five rebounds with three assists.  

Game Notes:
• The Lightning finished the season with a 3-2 record in neutral site games.
• Sunday's game marked the first meeting between the Lightning and the Blue Devils.  
• The Lightning played in their 30th game of the season on Sunday afternoon, matching a school record for games in a single season … Goldey-Beacom also played 30 games during the 2010-11 and 2012-13 seasons.
• The Lightning were outrebounded by a 49-39 margin on Sunday, marking just the third time in the last 12 games they have been outrebounded by their opponent … The Lightning end the season with a 43.7 rebounding average, the sixth-highest mark in school history.
• After scoring 50 points against Bluefield State on Sunday, the Lightning finish the season by scoring 1,864 points in 30 games … It is the third-highest single-season scoring total in school history … Goldey-Beacom scored 2,038 points in 2006-07 and tallied 1,952 points during the 2010-11 season when they reached the NCAA Tournament.  
• Chukwueze finished the season with 480 points in 30 games, the fifth-highest total in school history.
• Playing in the final game of her college career, Richmond-Peters moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Lightning's career games played list by making the 111th appearance of her college career.
• Richmond-Peters finished the season with 292 rebounds in 30 games, the second-highest total in school history … In addition, she ends her career with 573 rebounds, which ranks eighth on the Lightning's career list.
• One of three players in Goldey-Beacom women's basketball history, Grover finished the season in a tie for second place on the Lightning's single-season blocks list with 53 rejections … She finished the season with 107 career blocked shots, the third-highest total in school history.
• After playing 37 minutes against Bluefield State, Leonard finished the season by playing in 1,043 minutes, which is the second-highest single-season total in school history … She also ends the season with 93 assists, which are the fourth-highest in school history in a single season … In addition, she made 42 three-point field goals, which ranks sixth on the Lightning's single-season list.

About Goldey-Beacom College                            
Founded in 1886, the College offers graduate and undergraduate degrees with majors in psychology, economics, criminal justice, English, and all areas of business. With alumni from 26 states and 66 nations, Goldey-Beacom College is located in Pike Creek Valley, a suburb of Wilmington, Delaware. The College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, the Accreditation Council of Business Schools and Programs, and the International Assembly of Collegiate Business Education.