Posted: Feb 20, 2009
SALEM, Va. --- Roanoke College fell to Washington & Lee on senior night, 65-54 at the Bast Center in its regular season home finale Friday evening. The loss dropped the Maroons to 21-3, 16-3 in the ODAC while the Generals improved its record to 14-10, 13-6 in the conference.
The loss ended a 13-game win-streak and was the first home loss since dropping a 30-point decision on Jan. 9 to Randolph-Macon. The women are now 27-4 against the Generals since 1993 and have won four of the last seven meetings.
W&L won the rebounding war, 46-31, which is the third-largest deficit of the season for Roanoke. It was just the fourth time this season that an opponent has scored 65 points or more. The difference, including rebounding, was the Generals outscoring the Maroons, 29-18 in the paint.
W&L scored the first seven points of the contest and jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the first four minutes of play. Meghan Ingram hit back-to-back three-pointers for some early-game highlights.
Roanoke scored the next six points to put them within one, 10-9 at the 14:35 mark in the first half. Caitlyn Long's four first-half three-pointers kept the Maroons close as her last three of the half tied the score at 26 with 3:43 remaining.
The Generals went on a 12-0 run to make it, 38-26 and went into the half with a 38-28 halftime advantage. W&L blistered the nets in the first stanza, hitting 62.5% of its shots from the floor, including 4-of-6 from beyond the arc.
W&L increased its lead slowly to 15 in the second half and kept the Roanoke away as the Generals kept getting offensive rebounds answered back on nearly every bucket scored by the Maroons to prevent a comeback.
Long led Roanoke with 20 points, five rebounds and three steals. Her 46 three's this season puts her 10th on the single-season list. Virginia Anne Hagood had 10 points and five rebounds in her final game at the Bast Center. Rebecca Bays chipped in nine points while Jaleesa Osborne had an all-around performance with six points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Her five assists passed Emilie Voelker '83 and Jessica Ficarro '98 for sixth on the all-time list at Roanoke. Erin Jenkins finished with six points, six rebounds, two blocked shots and three steals.
The Generals had four players score in double-figures, led by Ingram with 23 points and six rebounds in addition to 5-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. Kara Nadeau finished with 14 points, four rebounds and two blocked shots. Bethany Ridenhour tossed in 13 points while Felice Herman had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
The women will battle Eastern Mennonite in Harrisonburg, Va. in the regular season finale Saturday, Feb. 21. The Maroons are 55-20 all-time against the Royals and will look for their first season series sweep since 2001-02. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
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