FREDERICK, Md.--The Hood College women's basketball team (6-19, 4-14 Commonwealth) ended the 2012-13 season on a high note by defeating the visiting Lycoming College Warriors (8-16, 8-10 Commonwealth), 52-49, in a Commonwealth Conference game on senior day at BB&T Arena.
Senior Dyanna Prater closed out her stellar Blazer career by contributing a team-high 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists and one steal in 30 minutes of action. After never missing a start in 96 career games, she finished her Hood career tied for the all-time lead in assists (331), in addition to ranking eighth in points (1,088) and third in steals (221). Senior Emily Maerz drained three more three-pointers in today's game to give her 120 for her career, good for fourth all-time. Unfortunately, senior Heather Boyce suffered an injury in Hood's game against Elizabethtown last weekend and was unable to play in today's contest. Boyce accumulated 134 points, 97 rebounds, 24 assists and 20 steals throughout her playing career in a Hood uniform.
After a closely-contested first half that saw the Blazers eke out a one-point lead at halftime, the Blazers made three of their first five field goals to start the second half, including a pair of treys, to assume an eight-point lead just 3:05 into the game. But from there, the Warriors outscored Hood 18-4 over a span of more than nine minutes to go up six (40-34) with 7:30 to play.
Hood would not back down and rallied to knot the score at 40-40 on a free throw by Verkia Smith. The score would see-saw back and forth over the next few possessions but the Warriors managed to convert a fast-break layup with 56 seconds to play to go up two. Maerz and Prater connected like they had so many time before over the past four years, as Prater kicked it out to Maerz at the top of the key and she answered the call, swishing her third triple of the afternoon to regain the lead for the Blazers.
Hood immediately called timeout following the momentum shift. Lycoming's Julia Antonelli missed a layup at the other end and Prater came down with the carom and was fouled. The senior went to the line for two shots. Her first one rimmed out but the second attempt was true, making it a two-point game (50-48) with 27 seconds left.
Lycoming called timeout and on the ensuing play, Rachel Wiley fouled Kat Andriani who went to the line for a pair. She made the first but missed the second and Smith hauled in the board for Hood. Prater was fouled five seconds later and had another big opportunity to put an exclamation mark on the game and her career. She knocked down both clutch foul shots and Hood called another timeout to set the defense.
Lycoming's Shannon Wheeler found Victoria Kowalski on the perimeter but her potential game-tying three-pointer clanked off the rim and the Blazers escaped with the triumphant victory.
Wiley finished with a double-double, the eighth of her career, with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Olivia Hosch contributed four points and five rebounds while Rachel Kessler had six points and nine boards in the win.
Olivia Manges led all scorers with 20 points and was the only Warrior in double figures. Lycoming will take on Elizabethtown College in the first round of the Commonwealth playoffs Monday.