Gophers Suffer 89-69 Loss Despite Success from Long Range

von Ende, Huff Combine for Six 3-Pointers, Total of 32 Points

WESTMINSTER, Md. — Goucher was successful nine times from 3-point range in tonight's non-conference contest against McDaniel, matching its season-high for 3-pointers in a game. The Green Terror, on the other hand, made only one 3-point basket.

In only the second game between the two in-state rivals since the 1995-96 season, McDaniel more than made up for the 24 points it spotted head coach Didi Cotton's Gophers because of the disparity in made 3-pointers by shooting 55.2 percent from the field and converting 24 free-throw attempts. It all added up to an 89-69 victory for the Green Terror.

Goucher's first points in the game were from a 3-point basket by Amy Smith (Logan Twp., N.J./Paulsboro). Another long-distance shot by Sharnell Huff (Bowie, Md./Bowie) put the Gophers (2-14) up 8-2 just 3:08 into the contest.

A basket by Allie Eader on McDaniel's very next possession ignited a run of 13 unanswered points that allowed the Green Terror (4-13) to overtake the Gophers to open up a 15-8 advantage. Elizabeth von Ende (Leawood, Kan./American Hebrew Academy) stopped the bleeding by knocking down a 3-pointer, making the score 15-11 midway through the first half.

Over the final 6:26 of the opening period, von Ende and Huff both connected on a second 3-pointer and Leia Roberts-Brown (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) nailed one of her own, but the Gophers still trailed 36-30 at the break.

von Ende and Huff, who finished with 17 and 15 points, respectively, both added a third 3-point basket during the first 3:18 of the second half, but McDaniel never allowed its lead to dip below 10 points after a field goal by Whitney Snoops provided the Green Terror with a 47-36 lead with 16:28 left to play.

The only double-digit scorer for Goucher other than von Ende and Huff was Precious Kollock (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco), who delivered 12 points off the bench.

The leading scorer for McDaniel was Snoops, who was 10-for-15 from the field and missed only one of her 10 free-throw attempts on the way to a 29-point performance. That's the most points an opposing player has managed against the Gophers since Catholic's Brianna Peterson erupted for 31 points on February 21, 2009.

With the victory, the Green Terror extended their winning streak against Goucher to four games. The last time the Gophers defeated McDaniel in the sport of women's basketball was during the 1992-93 season.