 Women's Basketball |
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February 29, 2008 NEWPORT NEWS, VA- The Methodist women's basketball team was hoping "third time's a charm," but Christopher Newport defeated the Monarchs 70-68 to advance to the USA South Tournament Championship. Methodist finishes the season at 19-8, the most wins in five years. Christopher Newport stands at 21-6 this season. Methodist came out scoring the first five points of the game, but the Captains went on a 19-4 run to take a 10 point lead in the first six minutes. The Monarchs started to chip away at the lead and a layup from senior Chelsale Hester tied the game at 30 with 4:42 to go in the first half. Christopher Newport went up by four, but junior Zan Messer hit her third 3-pointer of the day to move within one. Freshman Dawn Sanderson converted her second of two free throws to tie the game again. Junior Amanda Underwood gave Methodist a two point lead before the Captains tied the game at halftime, 36-36. Methodist led early in the second half, extending their lead to six on a layup from Hester with 15:03 on the clock. Christopher Newport regained a 10 point lead on two different occasions in the second half before Methodist closed in on them during the final five minutes. The Captains still led by nine with 1:56 to go, but Hester was fouled and hit both free throws. Underwood sank a 3-pointer to cut the lead to four with 1:17 on the clock. Christopher Newport's Chelsie Schweer's hit a jumper on the other end, but Underwood hit another three to cut the lead to three with under a minute remaining. Both teams called a timeout, but on Christopher Newport's trip down the court, the shot missed, and Methodist junior Dezzire Gilliard grabbed the rebound. After a Captains' foul, senior Ashley Harris was sent to the free throw line. Harris moved the Monarchs to within two points with four seconds on the clock, but Christopher Newport pulled in the rebound off the second shot. Methodist fouled and got the rebound after a missed free throw, but ran out of time with Christopher Newport taking the 70-68 win. Gilliard led the Monarchs with 15 points on the day while Hester added 14 and Underwood scored 10 points. |
