TOWSON, Md. — Goucher possessed a lead over Susquehanna 12:36 into this evening's Landmark Conference in the Decker Sports & Recreation Center, but at 15-11, it was hardly enough to withstand a run of 14 unanswered points by the Crusaders.
Unfortunately, that is what transpired. The 14-0 spurt that featured four baskets by Rachael Hughes allowed Suquehanna to go from four points down to 10 points ahead in a matter of slightly more than four minutes.
In the second half, the Gophers were able to get as close as 43-40 whenElizabeth von Ende (Leawood, Kan./American Hebrew Academy)nailed a shot from 3-point range with 5:01 left to play, but the Crusaders managed to hang on for a 51-43 victory over head coach Didi Cotton's squad.
Following von Ende's 3-pointer that made it a one-possession game with 4:17 left to play, the Gophers (2-16, 2-7 Landmark) didn't score another point untilLeia Roberts-Brown (Capitol Heights, Md./Archbishop Carroll) made a pair of free throws with only :32 showing on the clock. During that scoreless stretch which last almost four minutes, Goucher went 0-for-5 from the field and committed three turnovers.
Gia Palazzi was the leading scorer and rebounder for the Crusaders (10-10, 5-4 Landmark) as she recorded a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. After scoring 10 points in the first half, Hughes was held to only four points following halftime to finish with 14.
Three of Goucher's five starters reached double figures in points: Roberts-Brown and Sharnell Huff (Bowie, Md./Bowie) tallied 13 points apiece and von Ende added 12 points. The five players who came in off the bench combined to score only three points.