Jan. 4, 2008
Box Score
EASTON, Pa. - The Leopards failed to overcome a hot-shooting La Salle team, dropping a 70-54 decision to the Explorers on Friday night at Kirby Sports Center. Three Lafayette players reached double figures but could not come from behind to pull off a win.
The Leopards struggled on the boards, pulling down a season-low 21 rebounds, but did manage to shoot nearly 85 percent from the free throw line. Senior Vanessa Van De Venter led Lafayette in scoring with 14 points, while junior Emily Garner added 12 and freshman LaKeisha Wright finished with 10.
Jessica Spicer first got the Leopards on the board with a basket at 18:20 but Lafayette fell behind 7-4 after two Margaret Elderton free throws with just over 15 minutes on the clock. An Elderton basket at 13:02 upped the Explorers' lead to seven (13-6) and a Carlene Hightower three at 12:24 brought La Salle's lead to nine (16-7). The Explorers' margin increased to double figures at 21-9 with just under 11 minutes remaining in the half.
The lead remained in double figures (26-13) after a Hightower three with eight minutes to go in the half. Lafayette struggled to get shots to fall but did hold La Salle to just four points over the final 4:20 of play. Garner scored the half's final basket but the Leopards still found themselves trailing 36-22 as they headed into the locker room.
Lafayette opened the second half with a 7-3 run, capped off by a basket from Van De Venter at 17:04 to make the score 39-29. The Leopards struggled to chip further into the lead as they trailed 52-35 with 12:01 on the clock.
La Salle held a 56-38 edge at 8:37 but a basket by Wright cut the lead to 12 (56-44) with 7:30 remaining. That basket was part of a 7-0 Lafayette run that was capped off by a Garner free throw at 6:31 to make the score 56-45. Junior Cristin Zavocki drained a three at 4:24 to cut the lead to 10 and Van De Venter made two free throws with 3:30 on the clock to bring Lafayette within single digits (60-52) for the first time since the opening minutes of the game. La Salle went back up by double-digits, 66-54, with 36 seconds remaining after an Elderton free throw that sealed the 70-54 win for La Salle.
The Leopards conclude their three-game homestand against Fairleigh Dickinson on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m.
Postgame Notes:
* With her 14 points against La Salle, Vanessa Van De Venter needs just four more to tie Beth Mowins for ninth all-time on Lafayette's list of leading scorers. Van De Venter now has 1,151 for her career.
* Jessica Spicer had a game-high five assists, marking the third-straight game she has recorded four or more assists. She leads the team in that category with 51 for the season.
