HARRISONBURG, VA --- It was a slow first half for the EMU women Saturday afternoon, but they recovered in the second and got past Hollins 73-66 to wrap up the regular season. The Royals close 19-5 overall and are first in the ODAC with a 15-1 record.
The win is also the 12th in a row for the women, which ties the program record set by the 1984-85 team.
They have a few days off before playing in the ODAC Tournament Quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at 1:00pm at the Salem Civic Center. Eastern Mennonite will play the winner of No. 8 Washington and Lee and No. 9 Emory & Henry. The two play Monday night in Lexington, VA.
Live video and stats will be available for all games of the ODAC Tournament. Click here to see the official ODAC Tournament Website.
Hollins started out strong in the game, jumping to an 18-10 lead. The Royals closed the gap to two points a couple of times and trailed 31-29 at halftime.
Steph Rheinheimer (Manheim, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) canned a pair of free throws early in the second, and Keyla Baltimore (Bristow, VA/Brentsville District) nailed a triple to give the women their first lead at 40-39 with 16:12 to go.
Hollins returned fire and took a 47-42 lead, but a 10-2 run put EMU back in front 52-49 with 9:19 left. The visitors eventually tied the score at 62-62 with a three-point play from Jasmine Greene (Hampton, VA/Tabb) with 3:42 remaining, but Bianca Ygarza (Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) scored the game's next four points to give the Royals the lead for good.
Eastern Mennonite made 5-of-6 free throws in the final 47 seconds to stretch out for the 73-66 win.
Ygarza charted her fourth double double of the season to lead the Royals, going for 12 points and 10 boards. Steph Rheinheimer hit four long balls and finished with 14. Baltimore also had 12 points.
Alisa Brown (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) charted nine points, while Raiven Patterson (Pulaski, VA/Pulaski County) added seven points, six rebounds and four assists. Kala Yoders (Myerstown, PA/Eastern Lebanon County) had eight rebounds while Jess Rheinheimer (Manheim, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) had seven.
Greene led Hollins with 22 points. Lacie Forrest (Richmond, VA/Meadowbrook) had 19 points and five assists. Chanci Wright (Eden, TX/Eden) grabbed a game high 12 rebounds.