A slow start to the first half doomed Drew in a 75-61 loss to King’s in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday night. The Rangers scored 44 points in the second half, but could not overcome a 17 point first half stumble and fell for the third straight game. Melissa Kraft led Drew (11-13, 5-8) with 20 points while four King’s (13-11, 8-5) players scored in double figures.
Drew shot just 24% from the field in the first half en route to a 29-17 deficit at the break. Though the Rangers held King’s to 1-11 from behind the arc in the first half and just 10-30 from the field, the Lady Monarchs used an advantage in the paint to build the lead via rebounds and an 18-7 free throw edge in the game. The Monarchs used a 13-0 run to turn a point deficit into a 12 point lead with 6:30 left in the half.
Both teams were better on offense in the second half as each squad hit 17 field goals. The Rangers tried to use their three point prowess to get back in the game as they hit six long range efforts, but the first half gap was too large. Kraft scored 18 of her 20 points in the second period as the Rangers used a furious effort to tie the game at 45-45 with just under 10 minutes remaining on a Cunningham jumper. Unfortunately for Drew, the run took too much out of the shorthanded Rangers and Lady Monarchs were able to rebuild their lead to 14 with a 17-3 run. Playing just two days after a grudge match with FDU on Tuesday, Drew ran out of gas in the second half.
Kraft scored 20 and recorded 6 rebounds, four assists and three steals. Courtney Cunningham scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds. Maggie Marquis had 10 points to go with six rebounds and seven assists. Laura Methvin had eight points and 13 rebounds. Drew forced 26 turnovers and recorded 14 steals.
The Rangers will face Wilkes at home in their final game of the season on Saturday in Baldwin Gym.
Newspaper Box Score Drew University Rangers vs King's 2/16/05 6:00 pm at Wilkes-Barre, Pa. At Wilkes-Barre, Pa. KING'S 75, DREW UNIVERSITY RANGERS 61 DREW UNIVERSITY RANGERS (11-13/5-8 Freedo) Melissa Kraft 8-23 1-2 20; Courtney Cunningham 6-18 3-4 17; Maggie Marquis 4-12 1-4 10; Laura Methvin 4-9 0-2 8; Genie Valantassis 2-8 2-3 6; Ann Mularz 0-1 0-4 0; Kathleen Foster 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 24-74 7-19 61. KING'S (13-11/8-5 Freedo) Beth Jordan 6-12 3-4 15; Kaitlyn Fiorino 5-9 2-3 14; Andrea Hochstuhl 6-12 1-2 13; Casey Heitman 5-13 0-0 11; Lauren Kendra 2-4 4-6 8; Kasey Oczkowski 1-6 5-7 7; Brittany Atzert 2-2 1-2 5; Jenna Palumbo 0-7 0-0 0. Totals 27-65 18-28 75. Drew University Rangers....... 17 44 - 61 King's........................ 29 46 - 75 3-point goals-Drew University Rangers 6-25 (Melissa Kraft 3-11; Courtney Cunningham 2-9; Maggie Marquis 1-2; Kathleen Foster 0-1; Genie Valantassis 0-2), King's 3-17 (Kaitlyn Fiorino 2-5; Casey Heitman 1-2; Lauren Kendra 0-1; Kasey Oczkowski 0-3; Jenna Palumbo 0-4; Beth Jordan 0-2). Fouled out--Drew University Rangers-Genie Valantassis, King's-None. Rebounds-Drew University Rangers 40 (Laura Methvin 13), King's 62 (Beth Jordan 14). Assists-Drew University Rangers 16 (Maggie Marquis 7), King's 13 (Andrea Hochstuhl 4; Beth Jordan 4). Total fouls-Drew University Rangers 20, King's 19. A-175