Posted: Jan 16, 2009
SALEM, Va. --- Four different Maroons scored in double-figures and were perfect from the line in the 71-68 victory over Washington & Lee on Friday evening in Lexington. The Maroons improved to 10-2 overall and 6-2 in the ODAC. The Generals fell to 5-7 and 5-3 in the conference.
The 10-2 record is the best start for the Maroons since 1998-99 season (12-2). The 71-68 decision was Roanoke's 27th win over the Generals.
Jaleesa Osborne led the team in scoring with 15 points and six assists. She also recorded two steals and went 2-for-2 from the line. Osborne is ranked eighth on the top-10 list at Roanoke and needs eight additional steals to tie Marcee Hufton '96 for seventh.
W&L out-rebounded Roanoke 35-31 and had an advantage in points off turnovers (20-16), and points in the paint (34-30). The Maroons outscored the Generals 17-11 off of second chance points and 20-9 in bench points.
After three minutes of scoreless play, Gholson's jumper opened the scoring for the second game in a row. Washington & Lee responded with a lay-up from Megan Ingram.
At the 16:52 minute mark Caitlyn Long made a three pointer to give Roanoke the lead. Kara Nadeau made a lay-up for the Generals to give them the second lead of the half. Long then sank her second three pointer of the night at 12:16 to cut the W&L lead (12-10) to two.
Roanoke and the Generals exchanged the lead several times before Washington & Lee gained the biggest lead (32-27) of the half with 1:52 left to play. The Maroons cut the lead to one after a lay-up and free throw from Rebecca Bays and a lay-up from Long. Marcy Conner drained a free-throw to end the half.
Rebecca Bolton scored first in the second half at the 18:15 minute mark followed by a jumper from Virginia Anne Hagood almost two minutes later. Gholson then added two points with 15:39 remaining to give Roanoke the first lead of half (37-36).
Felice Herman drained two to give W&L the lead at 13:35. Erin Jenkins then countered with a lay-up to send Roanoke on a 9-4 run to give the Maroons a four-point advantage. The Generals responded with seven unanswered points from Ingram and Herman.
A three pointer and pair of free throws from Jenkins brought Roanoke within three points (66-63) with 2:34 remaining. Osborne hit a jumper and sank two free throws to give the Maroons the lead for the remainder of the game.
Desperation fouls sent Gholson to the line where she sank her second and third free throws of the night. Ridenhour scored two with less than a minute to play before Bays made a lay-up to seal the win for the Maroons.
Felice Herman led the Generals with 16 points and six rebounds. Rebecca Bolton (15) and Bethany Ridenhour (13) also scored in double-figures for W&L. Bolton and Ridenhour combined for 13 rebounds. Also making an impact was Kara Nadeau who pulled down five boards and went 4-for-5 from the field for eight points.
Gholson was 5-for-6 from the field and 3-for-3 from the line for 13 points. She also added four boards and two steals in the victory. Long was the third leading scorer with 12 markers.
Conner recorded a season-high of ten points and five rebounds. Jenkins pulled down a team-high of eight boards and scored eight points.
The women will host Eastern Mennonite, on Saturday, Jan 17. The Maroons are 54-20 all-time against the Royals. Game time is set for 4 p.m.
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