Gophers Rally Past Rangers for First Landmark Win

Smith Converts Layup, Nails Three-Pointer During Decisive 13-0 Run

TOWSON, Md. — A run of 13 unanswered points that started with Goucher trailing Drew by six points midway through the second half provided the Gophers with a 49-42 lead and they went on to down the Rangers, 56-50, in Landmark Conference action this evening in the Decker Sports & Recreation Center.

Even though the Rangers (9-4, 1-3 Landmark) twice led by as many as six points and the Gophers (5-9, 1-3 Landmark) were up by five points in the first minute of the period, the two teams walked off the court at the end of the first half locked in a 23-23 tie.

Drew once again extended its lead to six points two different times in the second half, the first time on a three-point field goal by Danielle Barber with 15:50 left to play that made the score 34-28 and then nearly six minutes later on a layup by Eden Blazovic that provided the Rangers with a 42-36 advantage.

Following Blazovic's basket, however, the Rangers failed to score a point for the next 4:32. Amy Smith (Logan Twp., N.J./Paulsboro), who came off the bench to score 10 points, started what turned out to be a decisive 13-0 run by the Gophers with a layup that made the score 42-38. A conventional three-point play by Elizabeth von Ende (Leawood, Kan./American Hebrew Academy) further reduced Drew's lead to 42-41 with 8:03 left to play before Amber Smith ( Baltimore, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) put Goucher ahead for good with a pair of free throws with 7:37 remaining.

Amy Smith kept the run going by nailing a shot from three-point range and, on Goucher's next possession, von Ende scored in the paint to put the Gophers up 48-42. The final point of the spurt of 13 unanswered points was another Amber Smith free throw with 5:23 showing on the clock.

von Ende gave Goucher its biggest lead of the contest when she landed a three-pointer with 2:58 remaining that made the score 52-44.

von Ende led all scorers as she contributed 13 points to the victory. She also hauled in eight rebounds, made three steals and blocked a pair of shots.

Drew's top scorer was Barber with 12 points.