Box Score
ANNVILLE, Pa. – Senior guard Allie Butler tied a school record with 11 assists while senior forward Monica Johnson posted game-highs of 15 points and eight rebounds as the Lebanon Valley College women’s basketball team defeated Hood College 53-39 in the first round of the fourth annual Rinso Marquette Tournament Saturday evening at the LVC Gymnasium.
The win gave LVC Head Coach Todd Goclowski a victory in his debut at the Valley.
The Flying Dutchmen advance to the tournament championship game for the fourth year in a row. Lebanon Valley will face Shenandoah University at 3 p.m. after the Hornets defeated Pitt-Greensburg 81-77 in the other first-round game.
Lebanon Valley limited the Blazers to 33.3% shooting, including a 28.6% mark in the second half while forcing 23 Hood turnovers. The Dutchmen held an opponent under 40 points for the first time since their 50-39 win at Elizabethtown College on Feb. 12, 2005.
Hood was led by Sara Wastler, who scored 12 points and handed out four assists.
Junior guard Donna Geiger added 11 points and five rebounds while junior guard Jenna Gambino and junior forward Cassandra Martinez had nine points apiece.
Butler’s 11 assists were also a women’s gym record and were the most by a LVC player since Missy Bleyzgis ’97 had 11 against Franklin & Marshall on Feb. 8, 1996. Chrissy Henise ’98 also notched 11 assists against King’s on Jan. 3, 1995.
After a Johnson free throw made it 1-0 with 17:32 on the clock, Hood led for the remainder of the half after an Amanda Kinn lay-up 17 seconds later. The Blazers saw their lead reach as much as seven (20-13) with 7:10 on the clock following a Wastler three-pointer, but LVC outscored the visitors 8-2 over the rest of the half. A Geiger lay-up with 10 seconds to go made it a 22-21 game at the intermission.
After a Jennifer Wilson jumper made it 24-21 with 19:32 remaining, the Dutchmen went on a 9-0 run, capped by a Geiger trey, to take the lead for good.
A conventional three-point play from Geiger gave the Valley a nine-point advantage (35-26) with 10:52 to go before Hood briefly threatened. A pair of Natasha Taylor foul shots made it 37-32 with 9:42 left, but LVC broke the game wide open with a 12-0 surge over the next five minutes. Johnson scored the first seven and nine of the first 10 points of the decisive run. A conventional three-point play by Martinez capped the decisive stretch, making it 49-32 with 4:46 left.
Sara Harlaub added 10 points and four rebounds for the Blazers, who will meet Pitt-Greensburg in the tournament consolation game at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
[Photo - Senior guard Allie Butler, who tied a school record with 11 assists in Lebanon Valley's 53-39 win over Hood in the opening round of the Rinso Marquette Tournament on Saturday]
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