SPRING ARBOR, MI - Head Women's Basketball Coach, Ryan Frost
wouldn't admit it but there had to be a grin trying to get out somewhere as his
Lady Cougars took down his Alma Mater, Mount Vernon Nazarene University Cougars 53-49.
"I'm proud of our girls effort tonight," said Frost. "We made plays when we needed to and hit some
key free throws down the stretch. Megan
Bement did a great job guarding one of the best guards in the league (Sierra
Fletcher).
Spring Arbor started slow and found themselves in a 10 point
hole early down 8-18 but baskets by April Adams and Bement helped the Cougars
claw their way back in to the game. With
7:23 left in the first half Spring Arbor was only down 17-20.
The rest of the first half was back and forth as Michaela
Robichaud, Jessica Garrison and Angela Russell kept the Cougars up to speed
with the Cougars from Ohio and Spring Arbor actually crept ahead at the half
30-28.
The first 10 minutes of the second half was mostly Spring
Arbor controlling the tempo and playing ?stingy' basketball allowing MVNU only
nine points during that stretch. The
Cougars held a 45-37 which would be the largest lead they would hold in the
game.
With the game on the lone with 24 seconds remaining and the
Cougars holding a slim three point lead (49-46), Freshman Michaela Robichaud
was fouled on a shot and stepped up to the line and delivered two of the purest
free throws a coach could hope for to put the Cougars up by five points, 51-46.
With :07 left on the clock, MVNU's Melissa Eickholt grabbed
an offensive rebound and put the ball back up for a quick bucket and was fouled
on the play for the traditional 3-pointer and she converted the free throw to
cut Spring Arbor's lead to two points, 51-49.
Jessica Garrison would ice the game with two free throws of
her own to end the scoring in the game and lift Spring Arbor to 6-12, and 2-5
in the Conference. Mount Vernon would
fall to 9-8, and 1-6.
Megan Bement would lead all scorers in the game with 12
points, but her five steals and suffocating defense made her the standout in
tonight's game.
Jessica Garrison would add 10 points to the tally and once
again the 5'5" Robichaud would lead Spring Arbor in rebounding with nine
boards. Alex Glenn had an effective
night shooting hitting 3 of 5 from the field for nine points in the game.
Spring Arbor will hit the road to take on Goshen College for
a 1:00 showdown with the 3-16 Lady Maple Leafs.
Goshen hasn't picked up a win in seven attempts in league play.
