2/11/2005 - Women's Basketball
Free Throws Seal Navy Victory

• Box Score

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Navy let a late 15-point lead slip down to one point, but connected on four-straight free throws over the final 11 seconds of the game to seal a 78-73 victory over Colgate, Friday night at Alumni Hall. Navy stopped a two-game losing streak with the win, which raised its record to 4-6 during the Patriot League season, while Colgate saw its five-game winning streak come to a close and its record drop to .500 in the league at 5-5.

"I was getting a little concerned down the stretch during Colgate's final run at us, but I also had a lot of confidence in Lauren Skrel (Jr., Walnut Creek, Calif.) handling their press and running our offense, as well as in the free throw shooters we had in the game," said Navy head coach Tom Marryott.

Colgate opened up a 16-8 lead eight minutes into the game, but Navy stormed back with a 28-4 run to take a 36-20 lead with 2:36 remaining in the first half. Navy started the run by sinking 8-of-9 attempts from the field and finished 5-of-6 from behind the three-point line during the streak. Carly Meyer (So., Orlando, Fla) scored 10 points during the run, with Abi Campbell (Sr., Richmond, Va.) and Skrel each totaling six points.

Colgate, however, would close the half on a 9-0 run and the teams went into the locker rooms with Navy holding a 36-29 advantage.

Navy would take a 44-34 lead early in the second half, but Colgate responded by scoring seven-straight points to cut the deficit down to three points at 44-41 with 14:40 remaining on the clock. The Mids slowly build their advantage back up and an Ashley Pelzek (Jr., East Longmeadow, Mass.) three-pointer gave the Mids their largest lead of the night at 67-51 with just under seven minutes left on the clock.

The Mids would hold lead of 15 points at 71-56 with 4:38 to play and a 13-point advantage of 74-61 with 3:24 left on the clock before the Raiders made one last sprint at the Mids. While Navy would proceed to turn the ball over three times, miss a pair of field goal attempts and the front end of a bonus, Colgate connected on 5-of-7 attempts from the field, including 2-of-3 from behind the three-point line to pull to within one point at 74-73 with 15 seconds to play.

The Raiders fouled Campbell with 11 seconds to play, only to see the Navy team captain sink both attempts. Colgate's Molly Patterson then missed a three-pointer, with the rebound pulled down by Skrel with four seconds to play. She was fouled with 2.4 seconds left on the clock and hit both free throws to seal the victory.

"Colgate is such a good offensive team," said Marryott. "We lost our lead because of their explosiveness.

"Even though we did give up 73 points, I was very pleased with our defensive effort. We stopped a lot of their penetration and cut down open looks at their three-point attempts. Inside, Nikki (Curtis) and Kate (Hobbs) did a great job on their post players. Everything Colgate got, we made them work for it."

Navy connected on 11 three-point field goals and shot 55-percent from behind the three-point line. Colgate was nearly as efficient from behind the arc, sinking nine triples on 21 attempts. Navy also converted 21-of-25 free throw attempts (84-percent), including 12-of-14 (85.7-percent) during the final 10 minutes of the game. Conversely, the Raiders made only five trips to the line and connected on all but one of their attempts.

Meyer led Navy with 17 points, the second-straight game in which she has set a new career high during for Patriot League game -- 16 Sunday at Army. Campbell drilled 4-of-6 three-point field goal attempts and totaled 14 points and seven rebounds, Skrel nearly recorded a double-double with assists for the second-straight game with 14 points and nine helpers, Curtis (Sr., Jacksonville, Fla.) notched her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Hobbs (So., Wexford, Pa.) added eight points and a career-high tying 10 boards.

"Skrel did a great job of attacking their defense and kicking the ball out to our three-point shooters," said Marryott.

Colgate was led by Emily Braseth who scored 20 points and hauled down 14 rebounds.

Navy will return to Alumni Hall Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Mids face Bucknell.