Jan. 16, 2008

Box Score in PDF Format Final Stats

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - A late rally fell just short for the Navy women's basketball team as the Mids dropped a 55-53 decision to Lehigh Wednesday night at Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, Pa.

Both teams had extensive scoring droughts in the first half. Lehigh misfired on 14 of its first 15 shots from the field as Navy took an early 10-5 lead with 11:30 left to play in the first half. Immediately following that, however, the Mids went over five minutes without scoring a point as the Mountain Hawks jumped in front by the score of 16-10. The Lehigh advantage would soon reach 19-12 before Navy rallied to tie the game at 21-21 on a three-point field goal from Cassie Consedine with just over four minutes remaining in the half.

The Mountain Hawks would take a 28-26 lead into the locker rooms at halftime when Kaela Pearce scored at the buzzer after grabbing an offensive board.

Lehigh quickly scored the first six and eight of the first 10 points of the second half to take a 36-28 lead, but Navy slowly climbed back and made it a one possession game multiple times in the second half, including at 47-45 (7:40 left) and 50-47 (6:50). A bucket by Kelly Altschul then pulled the Mids to within 50-49 with just over four minutes remaining.

The two teams failed on several opportunities to score on their ensuing possessions, then Lehigh's Erica Prosser gave the Mountain Hawks a 52-49 lead on a running jumper just before the shot clock expired. Navy pulled to within one point again when Consedine made a pair of free throws with 2:04 remaining. Both teams missed attempts again, then Prosser drilled a three-pointer with 1:05 left to give Lehigh a 55-51 lead.

Angela Myers drove the lane and scored for Navy to cut the margin in half with 43 seconds left on the clock. The Mids then forced Lehigh into a shot clock violation with 13 seconds remaining. Navy rushed the ball down the court and Whitney Davidson missed a jumper from just inside of the three-point line, but Kristen Bowen grabbed the offensive rebound with four seconds to play and was fouled with exactly two seconds remaining to send her to the free throw line with the chance to tie the game. She missed the first shot then, her intentional miss on the second shot bounced around before hitting the floor as time expired.

"We had a number of players who were competing in their first road league game, and they performed well, especially against a team who is on a roll right now," said Navy head coach Tom Marryott. "We kept fighting back throughout the second half and gave ourselves opportunities on both ends of the floor. If we are able to play as hard as we did tonight and clean things up a little bit, we will be okay as the season progresses."

Consedine led Navy with 15 points, six rebounds and four blocks. She was joined in double figures by 12 points from Morgan Hill

Navy as a team shot 31.1 percent from the field to Lehigh's 33.9 percent. The Mids held a slim 42-41 advantage in rebounds, but turned the ball over 17 times to Lehigh's 15.

The Mids, who fell to 4-13 on the year and 0-2 in the league with the loss, will return to the Lehigh Valley Saturday to play at Lafayette (1 p.m.). Lehigh improved to 10-7 on the season and 2-0 in the Patriot League with the win.