For immediate release—3/1/2014-#231
Forbush's 27 Points Can't Overcome Randolph-Macon in 84-69 Loss

SALEM,VA—Sophomore Chaney Forbush poured in a career-high 27 points, but the third-seeded Lynchburg College women's basketball team was turned away by No. 2 seed Randolph-Macon College, 84-69, in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) semifinal Saturday.

Both teams started out slow in the first half. The tight defensive pressures of Lynchburg and Randolph-Macon resulted in one field goal apiece in the first five minutes of play. Forbush was the first Hornet to find the bottom of the basket, scoring the first four points for Lynchburg to tie the contest at four with 15:26 remaining.

Trailing 7-6, Lynchburg went on a 5-0 run behind a three from Katie Reeves and Forbush layup, but the Yellow Jacket full-court pressure did not let the 11-7 lead last.

Sarah Parsons keyed a huge first-half run for Randolph-Macon to build a sizeable gap. The junior connected on a three-pointer before Katie Anderson scored a layup to put the Jackets back up one. Parsons then drove past the defense and scooped a shot up for another layup as Taylor Huber netted a three on the next possession to put Macon up 17-11.

Macon would score another five points before Sammi Goldsmith's layup broke the run, cutting the Hornet deficit to nine, 22-13, with 10:02 remaining.

Shannon Allan cut the gap to seven on her first basket of the game the Hornets' next time up the floor, and a pair of Forbush free throws closed it to within five.

Macon pulled away again to take a 13-point edge and led by 11 with a minute remaining, but Forbush trimmed the game to within seven, 42-35, at halftime on a pair of layups.

Those layups kept the Hornets within striking distance despite being outshot from the field 43% to 30% and having their leading scorer, Allan, held to only two points. Forbush led the way in the first with 20 of the Hornets' 35 first-half points.

Both teams dealt with foul trouble in the second half as Lauren Penley and Caleigh Patterson both picked up their fourth personals early in the final period. Macon was forced to sit leading scorer, Huber, who picked up her third when Allan drew a charge at 17:32.

Lynchburg fought through the fouls to get back in the game midway through the second half.

A pair of Anderson free throws gave the Yellow Jackets a 52-39 lead, but Lynchburg responded with a 9-0 run to cut the deficit to four. It was the closest the Hornets would get the rest of the way.

Ann Dorris started the run with a put-back layup before Charmaine Hairston added a free throw the next time down. Six points from Allan coming on four free throws and a layup ended the run with the Hornets trailing 52-48 with 13:08 remaining.

Macon held Lynchburg scoreless over the next minute and a half to pull ahead again 59-48.

Lynchburg made one final charge with less than eight minutes remaining when Forbush connected on an old-fashioned three-point play, giving her the new career high while cutting the gap to 11. A Hairston three on the next possession got the score to 65-57. The Hornets continued to run, capping off an 11-2 run to get the game within five points, 67-62, with 5:34 left in the semifinal.

Lauren Vugteveen scored all six of her points down the stretch to ice the game for the Yellow Jackets.

Allan joined Forbush in double-figures with 16 points, 14 coming in the second half. Hairston finished with 13 while Forbush led the Hornets with 14 rebounds and Allan added eight.

Parsons led Randolph-Macon (22-5) with 20 points while Huber added 16 and four assists. Anderson finished with 14 points and eight boards while Khajae Hester rounded out the Jackets in double-figures with 10 points.

Randolph-Macon will face the No. 4 seed, Guilford College, in the ODAC Championship Game Sunday at 1 p.m.

Lynchburg finished the season 16-11, including a 12-4 record in ODAC play. The 12 conference victories are the most for the Hornets under coach Abby Pyzik's tenure, and the most for the program since the 2007-08 campaign.