Slow Starts Hamper Gophers, Keep Smith from Milestone

Nine-Point Outing Leaves Senior Forward One Point from 1,000

SELINSGROVE, Pa. — It took Goucher 2:58 to score its first points in this afternoon's Landmark Conference game against Susquehanna. It took senior forward Amber Smith (Baltimore, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) of the Gophers even longer.

As a result, the Crusaders got an 8-0 headstart on the Gophers and went on to record a 55-42 victory over head coach Didi Cotton's squad.

As for Smith, she entered the game needing to score 10 points to become the ninth player in the history of Goucher's women's basketball program to reach 1,000 points during her career. But she went 0-for-5 from the field in the opening 20:00 and didn't tally her first point until she sank a free throw 1:13 into the second half.

Smith finished with nine points as she and Elizabeth von Ende (Leawood, Kan./American Hebrew Academy) shared scoring honors for Goucher (5-14, 1-8 Landmark). After playing in 91 games so far in her four seasons with the Gophers, Smith is only one point shy of 1,000 for her career.

von Ende's layup produced Goucher's only points in the opening 5:05 of today's contest. The Crusaders (11-9, 5-4 Landmark) led by as many as 11 points in the first half, but settled for a 26-19 advantage at the break.

Smith tallied the 998th and 999th points of her career from the free-throw line with 1:37 left to play, reducing Susquehanna's lead down to 51-40. After making her two free throws, Smith was subbed out and didn't return.

The only double-figure scorer in the game was Jessica Zigarelli, who supplied the Crusaders with 12 points.