Freshman Guard's 21st FT Proves to Be Final Dagger

Doughty Furnishes Goucher with Career-High 14 Points

KINGS POINT, N.Y. — Goucher, which never trailed during the entire second half, was clinging to a two-point lead in the closing seconds of regulation before Demi Vanderwal of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy canned two free throws to send today's Landmark Conference game between the Gophers and Mariners into overtime.

In the first five-minute extra session, a free throw by Sharnell Huff (Bowie, Md./Bowie) with :13 showing on the clock provided Goucher with a 59-57 lead, but once again, before time expired Vanderwal was back at the charity stripe for the Mariners and made both of her attempts to force a second OT.

Through the first 45 minutes, Vanderwal was a perfect 12-of-12 at the foul line. She finally missed a free throw in the second OT, but made her other nine tries to account for all nine of Merchant Marine's points as the Mariners pulled out a 68-67 victory.

In addition to her 21-of-22 performance on free-throw attempts, the freshman guard landed four shots from the field to finish with a game-high 29 points.

The Gophers (5-13, 1-6 Landmark) were up 52-47 after Kiara Doughty (Salisbury, Md./Wicomico) converted two free throws with 53 seconds remaining in regulation, but they left the door open for the Mariners (5-10, 2-5 Landmark) by missing their final two shots from the field and making only 1-of-2 free throws after their lead had been cut to three points.

After scoring the first four points in the first OT, Goucher went 0-for-3 from the field and only 2-of-6 at the foul line the rest of the way.

Vanderwal had already sank eight free throws in the second OT and was 20-of-20 for the game when she was fouled with 1:01 showing on the clock. She missed her first attempt, but made the second to put Merchant Marine ahead 68-67. The Gophers had two possessions to try to regain the lead, but came up empty both times. The first possession ended with a costly turnover; neither of the two shots they got off on the second possession would go down.

The leading scorer for Goucher was TaQuasia Lambert (Brooklyn, N.Y./Patapsco), who furinished the Gophers with a career-high 14 points. Huff added 13 points, while Elizabeth von Ende (Leawood, Kan./American Hebrew Academy) and Precious Kollock (Baltimore, Md./Patapsco) chimed in with 11 apiece.

Doughty grabbed 13 rebounds, making her the only player on either team to reach double figures in that category.