GREENSBORO, N.C. – Randolph-Macon sophomore Kelly Williams (Garysburg, N.C./Halifax Academy) scored just over half of the Yellow Jackets' points – a career-high 45 points -- while senior Teal Reynolds (Sterling, Va. / Potomac Falls) tied her career-high, scoring 17 points; but it was all not enough for the Yellow Jackets to push ahead of Guilford as R-MC was defeated by the Quakers 98-82 in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon. R-MC falls to 17-5 and 10-4 in the ODAC, while Guilford gains a game in the standings, going 15-6 overall and 9-5 in the ODAC.
Junior Kelsey Wisner (York, Pa. / Central York) opened the scoring for either team with a three-pointer with 8:38 to go in the first quarter. Both teams traded the lead and the score was tied once over the next three minutes. But an 8-2 Guilford run beginning at 5:39 saw the Quakers jump ahead 19-12. Guilford held a six point lead heading into the second period.
Guilford held R-MC off the scoreboard for the first two minutes of the second, but after a Williams layup, R-MC found a few more field goals from sophomore Charlotte Woods (Richmond, Va./Trinity) and junior Jayla Wade (Newport News, Va. / Heritage) over the next two minutes. The Quakers continued to push their lead using a well-paced offense and solid defense. With five minutes remaining in the quarter, GC had pushed ahead 35-22 when both teams found the bucket multiple times in a single minute. The Quakers' Lauren Ramsey made a pair for field goals and Essence Abraham added a jumper, while for the Yellow Jackets, Reynolds put in a layup and Williams made a layup and added her first career three-pointer. R-MC would make a 7-2 run at the end of the quarter and cut the GC lead to nine at the half.
The two teams traded buckets to begin the third quarter; but Reynolds found the bucket with 8:07 to go in the period that began a 10-0 run for Randolph-Macon, which closed the gap to four. After a pair of Guilford field goals, Williams helped kick start another Yellow Jacket run with a pair of layups. Freshman Becca Arrington (Amelia, Va. / Amelia Academy) added a field goal as well before GC scored another point. The gap was even closer at 2:30 when Reynolds made a free throw and Williams added a hoop and harm to tie the game at 58. R-MC regained its first lead since the first quarter with 1:06 to go in the quarter when Williams hit a layup to push the Yellow Jackets up 62-60. But Guilford went on a 6-0 run in the last minute to take the lead back and into the 4th quarter 67-62.
The Quakers were able to keep the distance through much of the fourth quarter and expanded their lead as well. Guilford had another 6-0 run over the course of a minute and added another five points a few minutes later as their leading scorer, Ramsey, hit a three and an additional field goal. She finished with 27 points and three other Quakers were in double-digits. They were also perfect from the free throw line, going 14-14. They outscored the Yellow Jackets 18-8 on their way to the 98-82 victory.
Williams also finished with 12 rebounds, her 21st double-double of the season. She added five blocks and a pair of assists. Reynolds hauled in four rebounds and was an assist shy of the double-double, tallying nine in the game. The senior also pulled away three steals. Woods totaled four points and four rebounds while Wisner and Wade each added six points. Wisner also dished out five assists. Freshman Elise Knobloch (Glenville, Pa. / Delone Catholic) added two steals while junior Leara Shumate (Fishersville, Va. / Wilson Memorial) tacked on two points.
Randolph-Macon will celebrate Senior Day as well as its Play4Kay event, in honor of ReeseStrong on Tuesday night at 7:00 against Lynchburg in Crenshaw Gymnasium.