Mount women's basketball team drops hard-fought game at Earlham College, 77-69

Earlham College hit eight-of-eight free throws in the final 5:15 of the game, out-scoring the Lions 14-7 down the stretch, as they posted an 77-69 win today at home. The Mount falls to 3-20 overall, 2-14 in the HCAC with the loss. They return to the court on Feb. 13 when they host HCAC-rival Franklin College on Senior Night.

The Quakers shot nearly 50 percent in the first half of action against the Lions, as they rolled out to a 38-37 lead at the intermission. The game was close early on, until Earlham pulled away six minutes into the half. A late surge by the Lions, and a basket by Tara Dennis (Batavia, OH/Williamsburg) right before the half, cut the deficit to one point.

After a sixth tie in the game, at 42-all with 17:11 on the second half clock. the Quakers began to turn up the defensive pressure on the Lions, grabbing a 47-46 lead after a three-pointer with 14:48 to play in the game. They pushed that advartage out to 10 points over the next four minutes, but saw the Lions fight back, behind Dennis, to cut the score to 56-55. The Mount trailed by one point again, 60-59, after a Dennis three-pointer, with 7:08 remaining in the game. Heidi McManus (Bethel, OH/Williamsburg) tied the score at 61-all for the Mount at 6:31 and Dennis hit a free throw with 5:52 to play to give the Lions a 62-61 lead, but Earlham would once again grab control of the game, en route to the win in the game's closing minutes. The Quakers out-scored the Mount 14-7 over the last 5:15 of the game, as the two teams split the two-game season series. Earlham made 17-of-19 second half free throws.

Dennis finished with game-high totals of 30 points and 18 rebounds, both career-high marks, while Chelsea Castleberry (Hebron, KY/Conner) had 11 points. Alex Donald (Litchfield, ME/Oak Hill) and Melanie Monahan (Mason, OH/Bishop Fenwick) added seven points each. Earlham out-shot the Mount from the field, 43 to 35 percent, as both teams made three, three-pointers. The Lions were 18-of-34 from the free throw line to the Quakers' 22-of-26 from the free throw line. The Mount won the battle of the boards, 47-43, but committed 19 turnovers while forcing 16 Earlham miscues.