Box Score BUCKHANNON – For one quarter, the West Virginia Wesleyan Lady Bobcats were playing at the top of their game.
Down by 16 after one-quarter against the 16th-ranked West Liberty Hitoppers tonight at home, Wesleyan outscored the Hilltoppers by a 31-14 margin in a fantastic 10 minutes of action and led the MEC-leading team by one at the half, 42-41.
But as great as they were in the second quarter, that is how ice cold they went in the second half.
Wesleyan made just six field goals and totaled just 14 points in the second half as they dropped an 86-56 decision.
Wesleyan trailed by a 27-11 score after one quarter, but went on an 11-0 run to start the second quarter.
Tara Goldman (pictured) rattled of six straight points and Mari Stewart made a three-point and a jumper during the run as Wesleyan closed the score to 27-22, with 7:14 left in the second quarter.
West Liberty pushed their lead back to 11, at 35-24, but Brooke Richard hit consecutive three pointers for the Lady 'Cats that made it a 35-30 game with 4:07 remaining in the first half.
Down by six, at 41-35 with 2:26 left in the half, the Lady 'Cats scored the final seven points of the half.
Adrian Cunningham nailed a jumper, Stewart uncorked a three-pointer and Goldman made a lay-up to give Wesleyan their first lead, at 42-41, at the half.
West Liberty scored the first four points of the third quarter but Wesleyan responded with baskets by Goldman and Richard which returned the lead to the Lady Bobcats, at 46-45, with 7:20 showing on the third-quarter clock.
It was all West Liberty after that as they went on a 13-0 run taking a 58-46 lead.
West Liberty extended their lead to 14, at 65-51, at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter belonged to West Liberty as they outscored the Lady Bobcats by a 21-5 margin.
Cunningham led the Bobcat offense with 20 points.
Goldman posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Stewart and Richard both had eight points.
Allie Browne had five points and nine assists.
The loss dropped Wesleyan to 6-17 overall and 4-15 in the MEC.
West Liberty improved to 22-3 overall and 17-2 in the MEC.
Wesleyan will have another huge test in front of them this Saturday on the road at Wheeling Jesuit.
Wheeling Jesuit is currently tied with West Liberty for the lead in the MEC. They own a 22-3 record overall and a 17-2 ledger in the MEC.
The game will tip-off at 2 p.m.
(Photo courtesy of Peter Galarneau Jr.)
