MIDDLEBURY, VT. -- The #15-ranked Amherst College women's basketball team led by as many as five points in the second half but ultimately came up short Saturday afternoon, losing to conference rival Middlebury, 47-45, in the Pepin Gymnasium.
Amherst fell to 10-3 overall, 1-1 in the NESCAC with the loss, while the host Panthers improved to 9-5 overall and 2-0 in conference play. The loss snapped an 18-game win streak against Middlebury for Amherst.
The Mammoths are back in action Monday with a Noontime special at Worcester State.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS:
* Despite facing an 8-0 hole early in the contest, Amherst rallied to score the final four points of the second quarter to take a 28-25 lead into the locker room at halftime. Down 23-13 with 7:05 to go, The Mammoths put together an impressive 15-2 run to close out the half. The panthers did not register a field goal over that 7:05 stretch.
*
Sylvia Liddle got the run started with a lay-up off a nice pass from
AnLing Vera in transition. After a
Kori Barach rebound on the defensive end,
Maya Cwalina hit a jumper from the paint. Another Barach rebound was followed by another Cwalina jumper in the paint, and that was followed by Liddle block that led to a Barach trey and placed the mammoths just one-point behind at 23-22.
*
Reeya Patel punctuated the comeback with a pair of jumpers and a steal in the final 1:29 that allowed Amherst to carry a three-point lead at the break.
* The Mammoths went up five quickly in the third quarter as a Barach led to a fastbreak lay-up by Patel and Barach's defensive board led to her own jumper that made it 32-27 with 7:32 remaining. The Panthers did not score from the floor until 6:27 left in the stanza. The basket ended a 13:32 span that the Mammoths' defensive held their hosts without a field goal.
* Amherst entered the final quarter leading 37-33, but Middlebury tightened on the defensive side. The Panthers, ranked 12th nationally in points allowed per game, gave up only six points in the final quarter. Still, a Patel jumper with 1:57 to go tied the game at 43-all. Only 23 seconds later, Vera appeared to come up with the play of the game with a big steal and coast-to-coast lay-up that gave the Mammoths a 45-43 lead with 1:34 to go.
* Middlebury tied the game with a jumper from Emily Downer, and, following an Amherst turnover, watched Gabby Stuart hitting the winning basket with 29 seconds left. The Mammoths had the ball with 24 seconds to go but another turnover sealed their fate.
BY THE NUMBERS:
* Patel played all 40 minutes for the Mammoths and led the team in points (15) on 7 of 10 shooting from the floor, rebounds (7), steals (4) and assists (4).
* Liddle and Vera each had 7 points, while Barach and Cwalina each scored 6. The Mammoth shot 44.2 percent (19 of 43) from the floor, but only 36.4 percent (4 of 11) from the foul line. Middlebury shot 36.5 percent (19 of 53) from the floor.
* Amherst had 6 blocks in the loss, 3 each from Cwalina and Liddle.
