Waterbury, Conn. – Four Eagles scored in double figures, and the Eagles made two huge defensive stops in regulation and overtime as the Post University women's basketball team rallied from a 12-point deficit to top Goldey-Beacom 70-68 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference game Saturday afternoon at the Drubner Center.
In overtime, graduate student Jasmyne Fogle (Bridgeport, Conn.) hit one of two free throws to give the Eagles a 70-68 lead with 21 seconds left. Goldey-Beacom had an opportunity to tie the game, but Nina Bartlette missed a layup. Goldey-Beacom grabbed the rebound with six seconds left, but stellar defense by sophomore Ann Marie Nelson (Draper, Utah) on Britani Bryson thwarted a second opportunity for the Lightning as Bryson couldn't get a shot off before the final buzzer.
With the win, the Eagles move to 3-14 on the season and 2-9 in the CACC.
Both teams had a chance to win the game in regulation in the waning seconds. After Bartlette tied the game at 64-64 with 11 seconds left, Fogle drove into the paint in traffic and missed a shot in the paint on the ensuing possession. Bryson grabbed the rebound with four seconds left and threw and outlet pass to Alanna Speaks who looked destined to make a layup at the buzzer without a defender in front of her. However, junior Gabriela Middleton (Coral Springs, Fla.) rushed down court and swatted the ball from behind as the clock hit all zeros to send the game into overtime.
The Eagles led by as much as seven in the final quarter at 61-54 before the Lightning tied the game in regulation. Both teams were tied at 45-45 heading into the final frame. Juniors Toni Deren (Greenlawn, N.Y.) and Lauren Chambers (Lebanon, Pa.) combined for three three-pointers during the run to give the Eagles their biggest lead of the game.
Deren led all Eagles in scoring with 15 points, including three three-pointers. The Eagles were off to a slow start early as they went down 9-0 early before scoring their first points with 4:41 left in the first half. They would go down by as many as 12 points at 16-4 with 2:56 left, but the Eagles rattled off a 12-2 run the rest of the way to trail 18-16 at the end of the first quarter. Deren scored five points in the run, including a three-pointer. Fogle also hit a three during the run.
Post tied the game three times in the second quarter but were unable to take the lead before the half, but finished the half on a 5-0 run thanks to jumpers by Nelson and junior Kiana Nichols (Newburgh, N.Y.) as Goldey-Beacom went into the half up 33-31.
Sophomore Taylor Ceballos (Milford, Conn.) made her first appearance of the season and made a huge impact, scoring ten points. Middleton filled up the stat sheet with ten points, six assists, four rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Nelson also had ten points. Fogle finished with five points and five rebounds.
Bartlette led the Lightning in scoring off the bench with 18 points. Bryson had a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Speaks had 14 points and ten rebounds.
Up next for the Eagles is a CACC road game at Nyack on January 30 at 5:30 p.m.
