Emory sophomore Erica Kaplan turned in a huge game for the Eagles with a team-high 15 points, hitting six-of-12 from the floor including three-of-five from three-point range, while pulling down a season-high 10 rebounds. Sophomore Lora Turner totaled 12 points and senior Beth Bergmann rounded out the team’s double-figure scorers with 10 points.
A Bergmann three-point field with 8:06 left in the first half drew Emory to within six points of the Yellowjackets, 22-16. Rochester then went on a 10-2 run, boosting its margin to 32-18 with 4:07 left in the opening stanza. The Eagles eventually went into the locker room at halftime down by a 36-25 margin.
Emory opened the second half on a strong note and when a basket by freshman Mary Smith capped a 14-5 spurt, the Eagles trailed by just two points, 41-39 with 14:11 remaining. Kaplan played a big role in that run, registering eight points on a pair three-pointers and a field goal. Rochester regrouped and answered Emory’s charge with a 14-6 blitz that was keyed by the long-range shooting of Helen Baroody that increased its lead to 55-45 with 10:06 left on the clock. Baroody accounted for 11 of those points nine of which came on three treys. Baroody and Emily Bango each finished with 16 points for Rochester.
Emory battled back again and when sophomore Jenny Kraus drained one from distance with 2:32 left, that capped a 9-0 Eagles’ charge and drew the hosts to within three points, 60-57. However, that was as close as Emory could get as Rochester fended off the comeback bid.
Emory ended the game shooting 45.5 percent from the field (25-of-55) while Rochester finished with a 36.7 percent showing (22-of-60). The Yellowjackets made the most of their trips to the charity stripe, converting 15-of-18 (83.3%) while Emory struggled in that department, sinking just 50 percent (6-of-12). Rochester also enjoyed a 39-34 advantage on the glass including a 13-7 margin on the offensive end.
“It was a tale of two halves,” Emory Head Coach Christy Thomaskutty said. “In the first half, Rochester was making all the hustle plays and it seemed like we were standing around. In the second half, we played more aggression and discipline and were able to stop some of their sets. However, some tough turnovers down the stretch hurt us.”
Emory returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 4) when it hosts Carnegie Mellon at 2:00 p.m.