11/18/2001 - Women's Basketball
Mids Hold Off Jacksonville in Women's Hoops

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Bryanna Herring scored a career-high 25 points and Navy converted 14 of 15 second-half free throws to hold off Jacksonville, 75-65, Sunday afternoon at Swisher Gymnasium in Jacksonville, Fla.

Navy (1-1) jumped out early on the Dolphins, scoring the first 13 points of the game, then went into halftime holding a 32-22 advantage. Herring led all first-half scorers with 10 points.

Navy's lead would reach 12 points at 52-40 on one of Courtney Davidson's four three-point field goals with 12:35 left in the game. Jacksonville (0-1) whittled the lead down to just one point, 59-58 with 6:35 to play. It would again be a one-point Navy lead a little over a minute later when Navy would start to take control.

Herring (So., Columbia, Md.) scored on back-to-back layups to give Navy a 65-60 lead with 3:12 remaining. After a Jacksonville miss, Davidson connected on a pair of free throws to push the Navy lead to seven points then, following a Dolphin turnover, Herring drilled a pair of free throws to make the score 69-60 at the 2:11 mark of the game.

Yolisha Jackson would score a field goal for the Dolphins, but Herring responded with another layup with 90 seconds left in the game to take Navy's lead back to nine points.

"We executed very well today," said Navy head coach Joe Sanchez. "Offensively, we recognized what Jacksonville was doing on defense, and we had a nice high-low game working. Our guards moved the ball well and we played with a lot of composure.

"Defensively, we came up with a lot of big stops. Every time they made a run, we came up with a positive play for us."

Navy converted on 21 of 24 free throws and made six three-point field goals. Jacksonville made six of 10 free throws but stayed in the game thanks to nine three-point field goals.

Herring's 25 points topped her previous best of 12, set twice last season as a freshman. She also added eight rebounds on the afternoon. Davidson totaled 22 points against the Dolphins after scoring a career-high 28 points two nights earlier at the College of Charleston. Herring was seven of eight from the free throw line, while Davidson was eight of eight.

"Bryanna is improving game-by game," said Sanchez. "The team has a lot of confidence in her and we did a nice job of getting her the ball when she was open."

Navy will open the home portion of its season Wednesday night when it plays host to Appalachian State in a 7:30 p.m. game at Alumni Hall.