Gophers Battle Back, Finish Five Points Short

Myette Breaks Record with 5-for-6 Effort on Three-Point Attempts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Goucher battled all the way back from a 19-point deficit in the second half to take its first lead over Penn St. Altoona when Amber Smith (Baltimore, Md./Institute of Notre Dame) canned a pair of free throws with 4:19 remaining. But the Lady Lions avoided their first loss of the season by outscoring the Gophers, 11-4, over the final 3:39 to emerge with a 71-66 victory in the opening round of the Gallaudet Holiday Tournament.

The loss drops head coach Didi Cotton's Gophers (1-4) into the tournament's consolation game on Sunday against either Penn State York or Gallaudet.

The Lady Lions (5-0) led by as many as 11 points in the first half and settled for a 32-22 advantage as the two teams departed the court at the break. They were a perfect 9-of-9 at the free-throw line in the period compared to a 1-of-3 performance at the charity stripe for Goucher in the opening 20:00.

The Gophers trailed 48-29 when Courtney Carroll converted a lay-up for Penn State Altoona 4:52 into the second half, but they managed to close to within 53-45 when Kelsey Myette (Binghamton, N.Y./Seton Catholic Central) drained a three-point field goal with 9:02 still left to play.

Another three-pointer by Myette with 5:57 remaining further reduced the Lady Lions' lead, cutting it to 58-55. A lay-up by Victoria Mitchell (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore City College) with 4:43 showing on the clock made it a one-point game; the Gophers caught and then passed their opponent on their next possession when Smith converted the two free throws she was awarded.

Myette's third successful attempt from three-point range of the second half — and fifth of the game —with 3:40 left to play provided Goucher with its biggest lead of the contest, 62-60. After the Lady Lions went back in front (64-62) on a basket by Marissa Lucas, Smith made two more free throws to create a 64-64 tie with 1:58 remaining.

The short jumper that Carroll made in the paint with 1:25 snapped the tie and put Penn State Altoona back in the lead, and even though it turned out to be the Lady Lions' final field goal of the contest, they were able to add to their advantage by going 5-of-6 on free-throw attempts down the stretch.

For the game, Penn St. Altoona was 26-of-32 at the foul line (.813).

Lucas led all scorers as she finished with 20 points.

Smith notched her second double-double of the young season and the 20th of her career at Goucher as she furnished the Gophers with 19 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.

Myette added 15 points, all on three-pointers. The sophomore guard broke the single-game school record for three-point field goal percentage by missing only once on her six attempts from long distance (.833).

Jaclyn Kellon (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel) and Mitchell came off the bench to supply the Gophers with 11 and 10 points, respectively.