The University of Mary Washington women's basketball used a late 22-10 run over the last 6:26 of play to defeat Meredith College, 57-50, on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C. The Eagles improve to 4-2 on the season. Erika Carter led the way with 14 points and nine rebounds.
Emily Thompson got the scoring started 1:26 into the game as she knocked down a three-pointer on an assist from Jordan Pamlanye. The Eagles built their lead to eight, 12-4, with 3:01 to play as Meghan Comer hit a three-pointer and then Pamlanye made a layup. After a Maddie Shifflett jumper with 2:07 remaining in the first quarter, the Avenging Angels went on a 6-0 run and UMW went into the second quarter with a 14-10 lead.
The Eagles played stifling defense in the second quarter as they allowed just three points, and they were able to push their lead to 14. Carter made her presence known in the paint in the second quarter as she scored eight points, four of them coming in the first 1:16 of the quarter. Thompson knocked down two free throws with 5:43 to play and that put UMW up 13, 23-10. Carter made a layup with 1:57 left to cap the scoring for the Eagles, and UMW found themselves up 27-13 going into half.
UMW struggled to put the ball in the basket in the third quarter as they only scored five points. Meredith scored the first seven points of the quarter and cut the lead to seven, 27-20. Carter made the first basket for the Eagles with 6:49 to left to put them up 29-20. The Avenging Angels cut the lead to four until Alannah Miller made a layup after gathering an offensive rebound to keep UMW up six, 31-25, with 3:47 to play. Meredith closed the quarter on a 9-1 run to take their first lead of the game, 34-32.
Carter scored the first basket in the fourth quarter just 11 seconds in to tie the game up at 34 a piece. Meredith took back the lead and went up 40-35 with 6:26 to play. That's when the Eagles got the offense going and brought them back. Pamlanye made two free throws, and then Shifflett and Thompson both knocked down three-pointers to put UMW up 45-40 with 3:33 left. Shifflett made a layup and then converted two free throws to push the lead to seven, 51-44, with 26 seconds left. The Avenging Angels tried to make a comeback as they knocked down a few three-pointers, but the Eagles went 6-6 from the free throw line to close out the game.
Shifflett and Thompson both scored 13 points a piece, while Pamlanye added 10 points. Comer dished out four assist and Faith St. Clair had two steals. UMW shot 45.2% from the field and pulled down 36 rebounds as a team.
The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday as they will host Randolph-Macon with tip-off set for 6 p.m.