Nov. 20, 2007
Box Score
PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The offense for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) appeared to have already left for Thanksgiving vacation as they stumbled to score just 11 first half points, shooting 16.7 percent and missing 20 shots. Their defense did their job, holding Saint Francis University (PA) (SFU) to just 23 points. The Red Flash did make their most of their shots, connecting on 10 of 21 shots in the first half. When it was all said and done SFU would take a 58-47 win.
"We didn't come to play, we were on vacation already," UMES coach Fred Batchelor said. "The kids were dancing on the introductions. We just didn't come to play...We thought we were going to come out and it was going to be easy and they made it difficult, and then they found ways when we crept back in, to close the door on us. My hat goes off to them and their coach for having them prepared, on the road, to come in here at this time of the year and get this win. I'm very disappointed in the way we played and more so our mind set."
A half time speech from Batchelor helped motivate the squad as UMES came out and shot 33.3 percent from the field but the guard tandem of Shawna Scott and Britney Hodges scored 15 points each. Scott made 11 of her 12 free throw attempts to help the team shoot 75 percent from the charity stripe.
UMES and SFU changed the lead back and forth until Whitney Robinson hit a jumper to give the Red Flash a 6-5 lead with 13:26 to play. They would not trail again. They led by 12 at the break and ran that up to 13 to open the second half. They would build up their advantage by as many 15.
UMES cut the lead to eight with just 38 seconds left but a pair of free throws by Scott sealed the win. One more by Robinson made the difference 58-47.
The Hawks got 11 from Casey Morton and 10 from April McBride. Brittany Adkins and Jessica Ayilola had a team high five rebounds each.
Emily Bollinger led the game on the boards with eight caroms. Samantha Leach played well with a perfect game from behind the arc for SFU.
"I think in a lot of ways this was good," Batchelor said. "I think we'll come back from this and we'll respond, we'll come back and we'll work even harder because of it. To be honest with you it's probably the best thing that could have happened to us."
UMES will take the holiday off and return to the court to face Longwood on December 1, 2007 in the back end of a double header at 6:00 p.m.. The men play against Delaware State that day at 4:00 p.m.
