Starting Five Lead Gators in Down to the Wire Win

Dec 30, 2004

Boxscore

University Heights, Ohio - A six for nine free throw effort by the Gators in the last minute of play stood up for a 69-67 victory on the road versus John Carroll (OH) University in women’s basketball action Thursday night. The Gators improve to 6-4 on the year as John Carroll drops to 4-5.

The game saw the lead change hands 20 times before the Gators erased a four-point deficit with two minutes remaining to tie the home team at 63 with lay-ups by senior forward Meredith McDonough (Pittsburgh, Pa./Oakland Catholic) and junior forward Courtney Steding (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry). Junior guard Valery Medwid (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) then picked the pocket of Meagan Heller and converted two free throws after being fouled to give the Gators a lead they held on to till the end.

The Gators led by as many as eight points in the first half when sophomore guard Katie Kestler (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) dropped in a three-pointer at the 10:44 mark. The Blue Streaks then used a 13-6 run over the next six minutes to regain the lead by one before the half finished with the score knotted at 35-35.

A lay-up by senior guard Raelynn Miles (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry) gave the Gators an early second half lead they would hold for four minutes before John Carroll would go on a 12-point run to take back the lead 51-44. Miles would later tie the score at 54 with 7:16 to play with a jumper assisted by sophomore forward Jennifer Latronica (Gibsonia, Pa./Deer Lakes) after an offensive board.

The game would then see the score tied three times culminating with Steding’s lay-up with just over a minute to play.

All five starters finished with double figure points for the Gators. Miles led the team with 11 points, while McDonough, Medwid, Steding, and junior guard Caitlin Murtagh (Bethel Park, Seton-LaSalle) each put up 10 points. Murtagh converted six of eight free throws and also grabbed six boards on the evening. McDonough also pulled down six rebounds, as Miles dished out three assists.

Shayla Bell hit eight field goals on her way to 22 points for the home team. She also grabbed five boards as Meagan Heller collected a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Gators return home to face Bethany (WV) College on Tuesday, January 4 at 7:00 p.m.

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