ASHLAND, Va. – Junior Hannah Livermon (Powhatan, Va./Powhatan) poured in 24 points as the No. 21 Randolph-Macon women's basketball team dropped an 81-76 decision to Eastern Mennonite Tuesday evening in ODAC action at Crenshaw Gymnasium.
Livermon had nine field goals and went 6 for 12 from three-point range for the Yellow Jackets (5-1, 1-1 ODAC). Junior Katie Anderson recorded her fifth double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while senior guard Sarah Parsons (Glen Allen, Va./J.R. Tucker) chipped in 12 points, six rebounds and six assists.
R-MC had a six-point lead at 74-68 with 3:45 remaining. Shakerrah Sykes hit a pair of free throws and Marla zumFelde nailed a trey with three minutes remaining to pull within one at 74-73. zumFelde buried another three-pointer with 1:15 left to take a 76-74 advantage. Junior Khajae Hester (Virginia Beach, Va./Cape Henry Collegiate) hit a jumper with 45 seconds left to knot the score at 76-76. zumFelde hit a layup and a free throw with 18 seconds left to put the Royals (5-1, 1-1) up by three. After R-MC missed a trey, Jess Rheinheimer hit a pair of free throws with one second left to make the final 81-76.
The teams stayed within five points of each other during the first 18 minutes of the game. Livermon nailed a long three-pointer at the buzzer to give the Yellow Jackets a 43-35 lead at the break. Livermon had 20 points in the first half, going 7 for 9 from the floor and 6 for 8 from behind the arc.
R-MC extended the lead to 10 at 51-41 three minutes into the second stanza. The Yellow Jackets led55-45 with 14 minutes remaining before EMU scored 11 straight to take a 56-55 advantage. R-MC answered with nine straight points to reclaim the lead at 64-56 with 9:30 to go.
Rheinheimer scored 27, while zumFelde and Sykes both had 20 for EMU.
Freshman Amber Lee (Rockville, Va./Patrick Henry) had 10 rebounds, including six offensive, and four blocks for the Yellow Jackets.
Randolph-Macon breaks for final exams before returning to Crenshaw Gym on Sunday, Dec. 14, for a 3 p.m. contest against Division II Virginia Union.