SALEM, Va. – For the first time this season, the Roanoke College women’s basketball team defended her home floor in the Cregger Center. After defeating Emory & Henry back on January 24 in a non-conference matchup, the Maroons looked to pick up an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) win on Thursday night. A 24 point second quarter allowed the Maroons to open up a double-digit lead that they would hold throughout the evening in picking up the 74-62 home win.
How it Happened:
Renee Alquiza hit a three-pointer on Roanoke’s first possession to give the Maroons the early lead. Alquiza would add another jumper to push the early advantage to 7-2.
Emory & Henry would answer with a 6-0 run to take their first lead of the contest, 8-7, with 4:30 to play in the opening period. It would be the first of eight lead changes in the first half.
A Josie Salyer triple made it 13-11 Wasps with just over two minutes to play.
Roanoke would answer with a Sayre Brandstatter three-pointer and when Kristina Harrel scored a layup right before the horn, the Maroons had built a 17-13 edge heading into the second frame.
Brandstatter would hit one of two free throws before an 8-0 run by the Wasps gave the visitors their largest lead of the game, 21-18.
With just over eight minutes before the half, back-to-back three-pointers by Brandstatter and Whitney Hopson would surge the Maroons in front, never to trail again.
Leading 34-30, Roanoke would end the half on a 7-0 run thanks to another Alquiza three-pointer and baskets by Hopson and Jayla Faison.
RC would grow the lead to 14 before a 5-0 Wasps burst would see the quarter ended in a tie with the Maroons holding an 11 point edge heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
With 6:30 to play, Rose Sande buried a long-range jumper to give the home team their largest lead of the night, 70-52.
Emory & Henry wouldn’t go away as they quickly trimmed the RC advantage to 10 with just over four minutes on the clock.
Down the stretch, Morgan Micallef would score back-to-back baskets in the paint to pull away and hang on to the double-digit win.
Brandstatter led all scorers with 15 while Micallef added 13 and Alquiza finished with 12. Harrel, Alquiza, and Micallef each grabbed five rebounds with Hopson handing out six helpers.
Alexis Hoppers led a trio of Wasps in double figures with 12 and grabbed a team high five boards.
Up next: Roanoke will head back out on the road this weekend when the Maroons travel to Virginia Wesleyan on Saturday for 2:00 p.m. tip with the Marlins.