ASHLAND, Va. – Randolph-Macon swept its season series with the Lynchburg Hornets with a 61-49 victory Tuesday night in Old Dominion Athletic Conference action at Crenshaw Gymnasium. A pair of Yellow Jackets were in double figures and R-MC outrebounded the Hornets 39-31.
The first quarter was played closely. Lynchburg took the early lead, but Randolph-Macon tied it quickly, with the game getting its first tie and lead change in the fourth minute of the game. It would be the first of eight lead changes through the game. Lynchburg took a hefty lead with 2:26 to go in quarter, going up 12-6 after a 6-0 run. The Hornets took a four point lead into the second.
In the second, R-MC got an 8-2 run over three minutes through the middle of the period which brought the game within a point. Sophomore Charlotte Woods (Richmond, Va./Trinity) was responsible for four of the points while senior Teal Reynolds (Sterling, Va./Potomac Falls) had a crucial offensive rebound and bucket to add to the run. Lynchburg added another score, but R-MC wasn't done. Freshman Elise Knobloch (Glenville, Pa. / Delone Catholic) added a three-pointer – her only points of the game -- and Woods sunk another layup to give R-MC just its second lead of the game, 25-23. The teams would take the halftime break with a 25-25 tie.
Any halftime adjustments by two of the ODAC's top teams were nullified by one another. R-MC and Lynchburg traded buckets and the lead – five times to be exact – throughout the third period. The teams also experienced four of the eight ties on the night in the frame. Junior Kelsey Wisner (York, Pa. / Central York) made a three-pointer to put the Yellow Jackets by three after both teams had already traded buckets to start the quarter. Reynolds had a big bucket at 6:13 to go to push R-MC out by four before Lynchburg came bounding back. The Hornets had a 42-39 advantage heading into the final frame.
But Randolph-Macon saved its best for last. The Yellow Jackets outscored Lynchburg 22-7 in the final frame. Wisner hit another three to put R-MC out in front with 8:28 remaining, but it was answered by LC. Sophomore Kelly Williams (Garysburg, N.C./Halifax Academy) put the Yellow Jackets out in front for good 46-45 with 6:53 remaining in the quarter. R-MC helped pad that lead using a 15-4 run and blocking the Lynchburg offense from scoring for the final 4:57 of play.
Williams – the USBWA Division III National Player of the week and the nation's leading scorer -- was the game's leading scorer, going for 20 points and 20 rebounds, her 22nd double-double of the season, which is a national Top 5 mark. She added two blocks and three steals. Woods played a crucial role as well, putting up 14 points, a pair of blocks and four rebounds. Junior Jayla Wade (Newport News, Va. / Heritage) tallied nine points and a pair of rebound plus a block. On Senior Day, Reynolds had a well-rounded game, totaling eight points, three rebounds and three steals. She was the game's assist leader as well, dishing out five. Wisner totaled seven points and three each of rebounds, assists and steals.
R-MC outshot Lynchburg 45% to 35% and scored 13 second chance points.
Randolph-Macon will finish the regular season on the road at Roanoke on Saturday for a 2:00 PM game at the Cregger Center.