Box Score BELMONT, NC – The Emmanuel Women's Basketball team traveled to Belmont, NC to face Belmont Abbey College in conference action. The two teams battled in the first quarter, with the Crusaders edging the Lions 18-15 in the first ten minutes of play. The Crusaders opened up the game in the 2nd quarter to take a 37-22 lead into the halftime break, but the Lions roared back in the second half to pull within nine points of the lead, falling to the Crusaders 80-69. With the loss, the Lions fall to 12-12 on the season, 7-11 in conference play.
Natalee Goff picked up where she left off against King scoring the first five points of the Lions to give Emmanuel a 5-2 lead early in the first. The Crusaders responded to take the lead with 5:39 to play in the first, 6-5 but Goff responded with a turnaround jumper to put the Lions back on top. The two teams traded points and the lead, with the Crusaders getting up by as much as five points with 1:18 to play.
Naomi Roberts closed out the quarter with a driving layup to make it 18-15, Crusaders after the first. The Lions shot 7-14 from the field in the first, connecting on 1-3 from beyond the arc.
In the second quarter, the Lions retook the lead on buckets by Goff and
Hannah Harris, but the Crusaders answered with a 10-0 run to take a 28-19 lead.
Lizzie Teasley got the Lions back on the board with 4:07 to play in the quarter to make it 28-21 Crusaders, but Belmont Abbey closed the quarter out strong to take a 37-22 lead into the halftime break.
Goff and Harris hit jumpers early in the 3
rd quarter to cut the Crusaders lead to 10, 37-27 but Belmont Abbey answered to push their lead to 41-29 with 7:49 to go in the 3
rd. The Crusaders led by as much as 15 points in the quarter, and Belmont Abbey led the Lions 55-41 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Lions opened up the fourth quarter with three-point buckets from
Jaleia Robinson and
Carmen Cabello-Rivera to make it 57-47, Crusaders with 8:14 left to play. The Crusaders pushed back up ahead by 15, 65-50 with 6:14 to play but free throws from Teasley and another three by Robinson cut their lead back to 10, 65-55 with 4:46 to go. A layup from Cabello-Rivera cut the Lions deficit down to nine points, 66-57 with 3:01 to play, but the Crusaders closed out the game strong to earn the 80-69 victory.
Natalee Goff led the Lions with 22 points, with
Hannah Harris adding 13.
Kate Jackson led the team in rebounds with 6, with Goff contributing 5 on the night.
Naomi Roberts led the team in assists (3) and blocked shots (2) with
Hannah Harris adding 2 steals.
The Lions will be back in action on Saturday as they travel to Wilson, NC to face Barton College in conference play. Tip-off is set for 2PM.
For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.
