Playing against one of its biggest rivals, the Centre College women's basketball team fell 73-56 to Transylvania University, Saturday, Dec. 16, in Lexington, Ky.
The Colonels, which played their second game in the last four days, fall to 3-5 overall, while Transylvania improves to 6-3 on the year.
Centre led early leading by as many as six points (10-4) four minutes into the contest. The Pioneers, however rallied to tie the game at 14-14 midway through the first period. The two teams continued to battle back and forth, until Transylvania went on a 9-0 run in the final 1:52 to take a 32-23 lead into the intermission.
The Pioneers opened the second half just like they finished the first. After scoring the first two points of the half, Centre was out scored 9-2 to fall behind 41-27 at the 16:23 mark.
The Colonels fought back and cut the lead to eight points (52-44) with 8:05 left to play, only to see Transylvania use a 16-4 run to extend its lead to 68-48 with under five minutes left on the clock. Centre would not have an answer and ended the game with a 17-point defeat.
Julie Leach led three Pioneers in double figures with 25 points and six rebounds. Leach made nine of 14 shots from the floor and seven of her 10 free throw attempts to lead all scorers. Jessica Gilbert scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds and Haley Riney added 10 points in the win.
Freshmen guards Chelsea Goodman and Chrystal Claunch were the only two Colonels to finish in double figures. Goodman scored a team high 14 points, while Claunch scored 10 points and added six points. Both players came off the bench for Centre.
Centre will take some time off for the holidays and return to action Friday, Dec. 28, when it participates in the Charles B. Zimmerman Memorial Classic, hosted by Wittenberg University. The Colonels will play Baldwin-Wallace College at 12:30 p.m. in Springfield, Ohio
Newspaper Box Score CENTRE vs TRANSYLVANIA 12-16-06 2 p.m. at Lexington, Ky. (Beck Center) At Lexington, Ky. (Beck Center) TRANSYLVANIA 73, CENTRE 56 CENTRE (3-5) Chelsea Goodman 4-8 4-6 14; Chrystal Claunch 2-8 5-6 10; Alison Denbow 3-11 0-0 8; Monica Vonderbrink 2-7 1-2 6; Keonia Masterson 2-7 0-0 4; Rebecca Rhule 1-3 0-0 3; Lauren Clontz 0-2 3-4 3; Jenny Jones 0-2 2-2 2; Andrea Loveless 1-3 0-0 2; Jessi Asher 1-1 0-0 2; Jennifer Marees 0-4 2-2 2; Morgan Smith 0-0 0-0 0; Tara Milburn 0-0 0-0 0; Holly Overcash 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-56 17-22 56. TRANSYLVANIA (6-3) Leach, Julie 9-14 7-10 25; Gilbert, Jessica 4-9 5-5 13; Riney, Haley 3-8 1-2 10; Distler, Jackie 2-4 4-4 9; Beavin, Cindy 2-3 0-2 5; Hanson, Jessica 1-5 3-4 5; Mather, Sarah 1-2 2-3 4; McCarty, Kelsey 1-3 0-0 2; Warner, Andrea 0-0 0-0 0; Young, April 0-1 0-0 0; Shuffett, Katie 0-0 0-0 0; White, Megan 0-0 0-0 0; Barr, Beth 0-0 0-0 0; Bewley, Loren 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-50 22-30 73. CENTRE........................ 23 33 - 56 TRANSYLVANIA.................. 32 41 - 73 3-point goals-CENTRE 7-20 (Alison Denbow 2-6; Chelsea Goodman 2-3; Monica Vonderbrink 1-3; Rebecca Rhule 1-1; Chrystal Claunch 1-3; Jennifer Marees 0-3; Jenny Jones 0-1), TRANSYLVANIA 5-11 (Riney, Haley 3-4; Beavin, Cindy 1-2; Distler, Jackie 1-3; Hanson, Jessica 0-1; Gilbert, Jessica 0-1). Fouled out--CENTRE-Chrystal Claunch, TRANSYLVANIA-None. Rebounds-CENTRE 36 (Monica Vonderbrink 7), TRANSYLVANIA 35 (Gilbert, Jessica 7). Assists-CENTRE 9 (Chrystal Claunch 6), TRANSYLVANIA 13 (Shuffett, Katie 3; Riney, Haley 3; Beavin, Cindy 3). Total fouls-CENTRE 23, TRANSYLVANIA 17. A-215