Start getting to know the name Louvinia Hayes, because if the Lightning is to make noise in the CUNYAC this season, the 5-foot-7 senior transfer will be one of the main reasons why.
On Wednesday night in the Lightning's 62-59 win over host College of New Jersey, she began to build her resume.
With her team trailing by one and under one minute to play, Hayes earned three points the old fashioned way, knocking down a cold-hearted jumper and the ensuing free throw to give the Lightning the 61-59 lead. Following one of two makes at the free throw line by Amanda De La Cruz, Lehman would survive two last gasp three-point attempts by the Lions in the closing seconds for its first win of the new season.
Hayes' clutch shot was the culmination of a personal second half turnaround as she tossed in 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting to finish with a game-high 23 after struggling through a 4-for-11 first half from the field. Her about-face mirrored the improved second half turned in by the Lightning as well. Lehman shot 25 percent in the first half, though they trailed by only one at the break, but reversed its fortunes to shoot nearly 49 percent in the second half.
On the night Hayes seemed to always have an answer for the Lions whenever they were threatening to pull away or, as was the case in the second half, make a run to get back in the game.
Early in the second half it was Hayes' layup with 16:59 remaining that pulled the Lightning back even with TCNJ for the first time since the score was 4-4. Then twice with the Lions making a bid to pull closer, Hayes knocked down big shots. First she hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to 37-31 with 14:19 to play. Exactly five minutes later, after a three by TCNJ's Hannah Tait had cut the Lightning lead to 46-42, Hayes sank a three-pointer of her own and then a layup on back to back possessions to extend the lead to 51-42.
Although Hayes was front and center with her late-game heroics, the Lightning was not just a one woman band in earning the win as three others scored in double figures. Junior Jaleesa Gordon posted her first double-double of the year with 13 points and 10 rebounds while senior Taniefa Taylor nearly notched a double-double of her own with 10 points and 9 rebounds. Taylor's baskets on consecutive possessions midway through the second half gave the Lightning their biggest lead of the night at 46-37. Amanda De La Cruz was the fourth Lightning player to tally double digits in the scoring column with her 12-point effort.
Lehman will travel to Allentown, Pennsylvania for its next game as it takes part in the 29th annual Scotty Wood Tournament on the campus of Muhlenberg College. The Lightning kicks off the tourney action against Richard Stockton at 1:00 p.m. on Friday afternoon.